Blood upon the Banks
by HammerHeart3
Summary: Nili has spent her whole childhood growing up with her cousins, Fili and Kili... Her father, Thorin, was her most favorite person in all of Middle-Earth, but when she finds out disturbing truths about her parentage, she begins to question her loyalty... Nili doesn't remember her past, only what road her feet are laid. Rated M for violence and Fili/OC
1. Chapter 1

Blood upon the Banks

**Hi everyone! This is my first published fanfic and I just wanna say that I have an active imagination and I come up with everything I write. Enjoy!**

Prologue

Once the battle of Azanulbizar was won, Thorin was beaten and bloody as he searched hopefully through the bodies for his younger brother, Frerin. After completing the grueling process of removing slain orcs and fallen comrades, Thorin found the dwarf prince buried among the dead. He pulled his brother out of the bodies and saw that he still lived, but his wounds were too sever, he would not survive. But Thorin was as stubborn as any other dwarf and tried to haul his brother to safety.

Frerin stopped him and chuckled at his efforts, his hair was covered in blood and a spear was pierced through his mid-section.

"You stubborn oaf," he laughed, but he was tossed into a fit of coughing, blood seeped from the corners of his mouth. Grabbing his brother by the shoulders, he whispered few words before his eyelids fluttered closed and he was gone.

Thorin wept over his brother and cried out in anguish, he held his lifeless form in his trembling arms and gave him one last hug. Balin, I wise old dwarf warrior with a long brown beard, came and set a kind hand on Thorin's shoulder, but no act of kindness could bring back Frerin, nothing could.

(previous to the battle)

When Thorin had found out that his brother had a daughter, he thought it was a scandal, for Frerin had fallen in love with a beautiful earth spirit and had never married. The fragile girl had died in child birth and Frerin had no longer been his cheery, happy self. Thorin had told his brother it was a scandal and that he should strive to be more like their sister, who was married and had two sons, which earned him a punch in the face from his younger brother. Thorin thought his brother very unwise, but he admired his devotion to the child that was his own, she was beautiful.

~HXH~

**I hope everyone likes this short little Prologue... much more will be explained in chapter one... It's kind of a small boost into the childhood of the childs! LOL I love saying that... Childs. okay So please rate and review! **

**Much love**

**HH3**


	2. Chapter 2

Blood upon the Banks

**Thanks for the review! Here's the first chapter. I DO add the ages of the children, but not the adults, sorry, but I think the whole adult timeline is harder to figure out than just a few children. BTW I'm in Mirkwood on the Hobbit book and I've watched the movie time and time again! I LOVE Tolkien's work! I will try and add Tolkien into the mix of some Jackson pieces and I'll be making a bunch of stuff up as I go. The next 10 chapters or so are gonna be a some one-shots of young Fili, Kili, and Nili. Enjoy!**

****Chapter One

**Nili - 1 1/2 years (dwarf) 6 months (man)**

**Kili - 4 years (dwarf) 2 years (man)**

**Fili - 8 years (dwarf) 4 years (man)**

_**Gondamon, Ered Luin**_

Thorin saw the small wood and stone cabin-like cottage sitting on the hill. He knew his sister would scold him for being gone for so long, but he also knew she would be extremely happy to have a new baby around the household. Taking in a deep breath, he knocked on the wooden door.

"A minute," he heard an irritated voice say from inside, then some followed noises which sounded like something breaking and a child yelling, "It wasn't me!"

The door opened to reveal a familiar face. Dis stood in the doorway and she immediately flung her arms around her brother, squeezing him as tightly as she possibly could. Thorin chuckled and stooped a little to return his loving sister's hug.

"How have you faired against motherhood?" He asked as he walked in the door, seeing a broken flower vase on the floor, and an innocent looking Kili standing near the wreckage.

Dis sighed heavily, the burden of her children apparent as she wiped her brow and smiled wearily. "It could have been worse, but brother, believe me when I say that I love them more each day," she said with a light, teary voice as she helped Thorin remove his heavy, snow covered coat.

Eight months previously, her brother had arrived bearing ill news. She was grief stricken when Thorin had told her of the loss of their brother, father and grandfather, and her husband. It had been a long, hard time for Dis and her children. Thorin had stayed with them for almost a month, before he had to leave to find Nili to bring her back to Ered Luin.

Dis had only just noticed a small bundle, strapped to her brother's back. "Is that her?" She questioned, pointing to his pack and he merely nodded and smiled, taking off the bundle and slowly unwrapping the small child that lay in his arms.

His sister gasped at the beautiful and perfectly rounded face of the infant before her. "Fili, Kili! Come see what your uncle has brought home!" she called to her children, so that they may lay eyes on their cousin.

Fili was first to come running, he approached cautiously after seeing the parcel and Kili clung to his sleeve, wondering what the small thing was that his uncle held. Softly stroking the girl's cheek, Dis bent down and scooped up her sons in one arm each, so that they could see the baby. The eldest drew back, unsure of what the infant might do if he touched it, but Kili was utterly fascinated with his cousin as he tugged back a small portion of the blanket to reveal the signature dark brown hair.

"Ha! She has my hair!" he taunted his older brother and as if one cue, Nili's eyelids fluttered open to show the beautiful steel blue orbs that his brother possessed. Kili was not disappointed, but he had hoped for brown eyes, too. Fili gave his brother a look of absolute cockiness and he crossed his arms, as if daring Kili to find something else that resembled him.

Wrapping the cloth back around Nili, Thorin walked to his room and set the child in a cradle of pillows. It was growing quite dark out of doors, a fire would need to be started. Dis walked into the room. "I have not been in here since you left," she smiled and brought in enough wood to make a fire in the small stone fireplace. Thorin smiled to himself, his sister loved taking care of anyone in need, and he liked to use that to his advantage. Thorin was a strong, capable dwarf, and could have easily started a small fire, but he was so worn from his travels, he didn't mind having his sister do the small amount of work.

He pulled out his pipe from his pocket, packing it full of pipe-weed from a small pouch, lit it and blew a few smoke rings up the stone chimney. After the fire had been started, Thorin propped his feet up on a stool and sat, staring thoughtfully into the dancing fire. He thought of the family he had lost and how it had paid it's toll on Thorin over the months. To lose so much family in one battle was too much to bear. He had not noticed he had been weeping, until cold tears fell from his face onto his rough hands.

Nili and Thorin fell asleep side by side that night. He stroked his niece's cheek and all of a sudden he felt an overwhelming sense of protectiveness over her and he felt as though she was his daughter. "My joy," he whispered and gently ran his hand over her incredibly soft, brown hair.

**I hope you enjoyed this chapter! I try to update at least twice a week. Rate and review!**

**Love HH 3**


	3. Chapter 3

Blood upon the Banks

**We've almost hit 100 views! I love you my faithful readers! I hope you enjoy this round of the mischief makers! **

Chapter 2

**Nili - 13 (dwarf) 5 (man)**

**Kili - 15 (dwarf) 8 (man)**

**Fili - 20 (dwarf) 10 (man)**

The three dwarflings ran through the thick bright snow that blanketed the ground outside the town. Gondamon was a small dwarf city which consisted of an Inn, a handful of reliable merchants, a small crafting hall, watchful guards, and small cottages. Pine trees surrounded the beautiful stone work that perched on a hill in the western reaches of Ered Luin, tucked away safely in the Blue Mountains. No enemy tried to breach it's defenses, but still few lonesome wolves and bears roamed outside the walls.

A small coal mine lay across the road from the city and miners walked back and forth, selling their coal to anyone who had money to but it. There was also a tiny bakery where a kindly, fat dwarf with bright red hair, baked breads and cakes for many passing travelers and some dwarfs would travel many a mile to come and taste the sweet glazed rolls and thickly iced cakes of the odd dwarf.

Nili jumped on her brother, Kili, and tackled him to the ground. The young dwarf retaliated and kicked his sister off him. Fili gave both of them a meaningful glare and then proceeded to roar and chase them up the hill, into the town. Seeing her brother hot on her heels, Nili ran around a corner and ducked into a hay stook just as her blonde headed brother ran by.

"Thank Mahal," she breathed and began to climb out, screeching in surprise as the stable master grabbed the back of her tunic collar and lifted her into the air.

With an angry scowl on his face he turned her around to face him. "I thought I told you pests to keep out of my stable! You'll be spookin' the ponies and then I'll deny your father business."

Nili didn't want her dear father to not be able to rent ponies anymore, but she hated that old stable master, he was mean and crooked, yelling at little children. As soon as he had set her down, she crossed her arms, turned on her heel and took off back around the corner. "Big, fat, no good-" she was about to continue when she ran into Kili.

"Umph, Nili!" he yelled and then she grabbed his hand and ran up the steps to the second level. "We'll never find a good enough place to hide," she cursed and Kili looked at her in amazement, had his little sister really just uttered a foul curse, because she was losing a game of hide and seek.

He dismissed it and kept following her until they reached the archer's tower at the far north-eastern corner of the city, it was at least sixty feet up in the air and Nili felt inclined to sit down with her back against the stone railing, not wanting to look down upon the heights. Kili kept a watchful eye out for Fili, but didn't see him anywhere. He started to wonder if he had given up, but his thoughts were soon dismissed upon hearing the wooden door behind him creak open and he saw a guard standing there, arms crossed in annoyance.

"What are you dwarflings doing up here?!" he asked in harsh tone. "I won't throw you in the jail house for trespassing, but I will have to take you to your parents," he barked, grabbing Nili roughly by the shoulder.

"Parent," Nili corrected the guard, smiling as if she wasn't going to get seriously reprimanded by her father later. The guard raised an eyebrow at Nili's remark and the little girl continued. "You see, I don't have a mother and he doesn't have a father," she said pointing to Kili. As the guard snarled and grabbed him by the collar, Kili just slapped his hand to his forehead in defeat. His sister always had to make a sarcastic or smart reply to anything anyone ever said. Whether it was correcting them or just mocking them, she did it all.

"Uncle will be furious," Kili said, fear tinting his brown eyes.

"I'm more concerned about mother," Nili replied with a light voice, a little frightened herself.

Once the guard had knocked on the door, Thorin answered it and he growled in frustration. "What's the meaning of this?!" he asked, more to Nili and Kili than the guard. The rude guard shared his view of the story, which was completely crooked as he tried to make everything sound as awful as possible. "Best keep them children under control, or this won't be the last of me you'll be seeing," he threatened and Thorin pulled them inside, rolling his eyes at the dwarfs poor threat.

Nili and Kili had discovered that Dis was about a mile away from Gondamon in a small trade route, selling her fine, handmade fabrics. Fili had returned before them, looking for his mother, but finding his uncle instead. Thorin had a small soft spot where the children were concerned and he refrained from punishing them to harshly, but he had made them scrub the wooden floors in his and his sister's rooms, because the rest of the floors were made of tightly packed dirt.

Thorin was planning on telling his sister what had happened when the children were sent to retrieve bread from the market square, but he decided against it, knowing his sister would blow it out of proportion and make the children work in the coal mine for a week, so he reminded himself that telling his sister was a bad idea.

That night Dis returned and marveled at the sparkling wooden floors, kissing each child on the forehead for their good work and telling them they deserved a special treat. Each of them felt extremely guilty as she handed them each a small cake from her bag of goods she had brought home. Kili gave in and tears trickled down his cheeks as he handed her back the beautifully iced cake and confessed about their little escapade that afternoon. Dis listened intently, anger had not been one of the emotions on her face, but she began to look proud.

Taking each child in her arms, she hugged them tightly. "Thank you for telling me the truth!" she exclaimed and handed the cakes back to her children, earning equal looks of confusion from them all. "Honesty out weighs your misdoings," smiling she cupped her hands on their cheeks and bid them good night, patting Thorin's shoulder as he leaned against the door jam, watching the scene unfold. "You musn't judge me too harshly, brother. I have a fondness for children as much as you have." she grinned at him wickedly and continued into the kitchen to start dinner.

Nili savored her small cake and vowed to not get in trouble any time soon, but we all knew that wasn't going to happen.

**How did you like it? I had initially wrote this scene where they had fallen off the tower and landed on a tent, escaping the guards and returning home, but I decided to re write it. Dis' soft side... Awww! Rate and Review! More coming soon**

**HH 3**


	4. Chapter 4

Blood upon the Banks

**Thanks so much for the reviews! I'm loving writing this and I have big hopes for it! Almost 200 views! Awesome! I'm trying not to stray from the storyline at all, but it may happen a little bit with these one-shots... But I'm trying to stay on track and get these one-shots done in 10 chapters (not counting the prologue) Enjoy!**

Chapter Three

**Nili - 16 (dwarf) 8 (man)**

The rain poured down outside of the window and Nili stared through the small glass pane, boredom taking a hold of her usually cheery mood. Dis had suggested playing outside, but now it was raining, she mentioned reading, but Nili refused to read without her brothers, whom were gone with their Uncle on a small journey to Celondim, about a days ride from Gondamon. Lacking on fun things to do, Nili sat at the window, a candle provided her with a small amount of light as she drew a sketch on a well sized piece of paper.

"Nili," Dis yelled from the adjoining room, a touch of annoyance in her voice. "Come here."

With a tiny sigh, Nili left her room and walked into the small kitchen, where she saw a steady stream of water, pouring from the ceiling and puddling out, making a nasty muddy hole in the packed, dirt floor.

Immediately, Nili began grabbing buckets from around the house, placing them on the floor where the water dripped and she helped Dis soak up the puddles, with some raggedy old cloths. "We must get this roof fixed," Dis muttered as she threw a muddy rag into an empty bucket and continued to soak up water, on her hands and knees.

When the task was complete, Nili's cotton tunic was covered in dirt and her quilted trousers were wet and uncomfortable. She squirmed out of her clothing after finishing helping her mother, and changed into her small night gown.

Dis came in a tucked her in, kissing her on the forehead and bidding her good night. Nili greatly missed her father and brothers, for her father always told them stories, much to the children's delight. Outside, lightning cracked across the night sky and thunder rolled and shook the small house, startling the girl and making her bury herself under the thick covers of the bed. Another flash and crack and Nili dived under the bed, holding a small blanket close to her body and peeking out from under the mattress, hoping not to see or hear any more bad weather, ever again.

Slowly she drifted of, her eyelids fluttered closed and her breathing became low and steady, her light brown curls tossed around her little, round face, making quite an adorable picture if one was to peek under the small bed to see a sleeping angel. Nili had a dream of a field with the sun shining high in the sky, but little drops of rain fell down, which made a lovely picture for the small imaginative child. Once the dream had ended, another one started, a long one at that, too. A beautiful woman with waist length curls, much like her own, stood in the middle of a wonderful garden. Trees blossomed and flowers bloomed all around the court, shining fireflies bounded about in the air, glowing bright, the carved marble arches had ruffs of moss growing on them, the circular garden seemed to go on forever and ever, endless amounts of flowers and trees, while huge crystals hung from the ceiling and came up out of the floors, casting a greenish, blue light around the garden.

To Nili, this looked much like the elven gardens she had seen drawings of in her books, but it wad different, the plants weren't as elegant and slender, they were thick and full, with no wood, besides trees, anywhere to be seen. The architecture was strictly marble and stone, with veins of gold running through the hard walls of the large garden. A trickling stream flowed through the garden, accompanied by a huge waterfall, which didn't seems to be natural. The riverbed was smooth cut, with what looked like crushed diamonds imbedded in the stone.

It was apparent now that the garden was of dwarf make, but Nili had never read of a garden such as this, there was one in Moria, but it had been long destroyed by goblins, and this garden didn't match the description and pictures of Moria's gardens.

Suddenly the woman turned to face Nili, her gold and silver dress rippling as she did so. She met Nili's curious blue gaze with warm, emerald eyes, smiling and dimples showed on her rounded cheeks and her slightly upturned nose made her look like a classy, sweet dwarf lady. She was obviously of dwarf nature, her emphasized curves and short stature gave away her identity, but she had a very gentle and graceful way about her. Perhaps she wasn't giving away her complete identity.

"Greetings, Laurina Cugu," she said with a curiously melodious voice, which seemed to echo off the stone walls, overwhelming Nili. "I have waited long for you, young friend." She smiled and looked at the young dwarfling with powerful, yet soft, green orbs.

Nili stared at the woman, curiously, but cautiously, she stepped forward a little, revealing her face from the shadow. "Who are you?" Nili asked, with a hint of a demanding tone.

"I am the one whom guides you to your path, your guardian for your journey," she answered and then smiled lightly, as if Nili should automatically know what that meant. "Behold, the reason for which I came," the woman pointed to the south reaches of the garden and suddenly, events started to unfold in a hazy, mirror like wall.

Nili saw her father fighting mightily, slaying goblins, orcs, and wargs alike, relentlessly swinging a beautiful evlish blade, which flashed under a pale moon. Fire was licking the air around him and two dwarves were fending off the orcs that might have harmed him if they had not stopped him. An orc with an ugly, twisted axe appeared behind him. She tried to call out to him, but the orc landed the axe in Thorin's back and he fall, dead, to the hard ground, his black hair stained with blood.

"No!" Nili cried and ran to him, but when she tried to touch him, she could see he was a blurry hazy image, and she could stick her hand through him when she tried to touch his pale cheek. "What's happened?!" She demanded, turning on the woman.

The woman looked exceedingly calm. "This is what will happen if you do not complete your task. Follow the lion," she whispered as she slowly faded away and Nili awoke.

She sat up so fast, she hit her head on the bottom of the bed, cold sweat dripped down her face and tears were on her plump cheeks. Sighing with relief, she then recognized it was only but a dream, but still she pondered the woman's words.

Later that day when her father arrived home with her brothers, Nili ran into his arms and hugged him tight, not daring to let go of him. She would never let anything happen to him, she refused to, nothing would ever come in between her and her father.

Or would it?

**Hope you liked it! The mysterious woman LOL... Rate and review! Every follow, review or favorite is worth it's weight in Mithril to me!**

**Until next time,**

**~HxH~**


	5. Chapter 5

Blood upon the Banks

**This one is mostly comical, you'll see why! Enjoy! ;)**

Chapter Four

**Nili - 18 (dwarf) 8 (man)**

**Kili - 20 (dwarf) 11 (man)**

**Fili - 25 (dwarf) 13 (man)**

The three dwarflings sat in a row in their large bed, yelling and carrying on trying to beckon Thorin into the room, throwing objects at the door and sighing loudly. Finally, Thorin reached the door and opened it, an annoyed expression on his face and the children immediately put on their best smiles, Kili was grinning from ear to ear, undoubtedly the happiest dwarfling ever.

"What is it?" Thorin asked, trying to keep a small amount of patience, they were just children after all. "Story!" Kili and Nili announced in unison, but Fili seemed completely and totally uninterested. "Bedtime stories are for dwarflings, I'm not a dwarfling anymore," he delcared, crossing his arms and holding his chin up high. Kili and Nili just scoffed and returned to begging Thorin to tell them a story.

Thorin had always been an excellent story teller, he had an endless supply, he usually told them stories about himself or of mighty dwarf warriors, but every once and a while he would make up one, just for his nephews and daughter. Sighing, he walked to the middle of the room and began conjuring up a story in his head before he told it. Nili clasped her hands together in anticipation and knew that the story would be a good one.

"Fili, you can listen or turn your head, but I know you'll like this one," he said as he readied to begin. "There I were!" he yelled, startling the dwarflings. "Surrounded by dozens of ugly goblins," he began, emphasizing with his hands about the goblins. "A snowy mountain behind me and my only comrade, a sword of great value!" At this he picked up a candle stick and held it up for them to see. Nili looked on, her eyes wide as she imagined it to be a beautiful blade.

"Fire leaped from this way and that, as the goblins shot their flaming arrows at me. I dodged them and deflected them with my sword," he declared, using the candle stick to block the deadly invisible arrows. Now Fili started to get interested and his eyes widened as he listened to his uncle's enthralling tale. "Whoosh, whoosh, more arrows came, but they were no match for me," he said, standing tall, holding his *ahem* "sword" at his side.

"But sadly I did not anticipate the large goblin sappers coming around me every which way, carrying their bombs of fire oil above their disgusting heads. I saw them coming and with one motion, I turned-" he spun around, his arm oustretched weilding his might candle stick, "and FWOP! They all fell dead, their heads crashed to the ground with a deafening thud. More came and I stabbed, sliced and scorched them all, now holding a torch, crowned in a beautiful ring of flames," he exclaimed grabbing up half burnt log out of the fireplace.

"In the end I stand on a heap of goblins, this high," he said, holding his hand above his head and smiling broadly. "And the fair maidens I rescued showered me with adoration, calling me their hero." Placing his hands on his hips and standing tall up on pile of pillows.

Nili looked confused, "You never mentioned anything about maidens before you started," she mused, a frown of annoyance on her small face. "Yeah," Fili agreed, "And on the subject of missing things; are you sure you killed ALL those goblins by yourself?" He continued, knowing that the story wasn't at all logical.

"All you asked me for was a story!" Thorin bellowed, thoroughly satisfied with the original version of his impractical tale. "It's just a little far fetched, you might say," Niki inquired. "So?" Thorin replied, getting annoyed.

Dis had been listening the whole time and shook her head as she opened the door. "Come on, Thorin. Time for bed," she said, grabbing his arm and pulling him out the door. He glared at them and stuck his tongue out as he let her drag him away, he got a reply of three tongues and wild grins.

Nili settled back into the thick comforter, smiling as she closed her eyes. "Good night," she wished to her brothers and threw one arm over Kili, who lay on his back, and snuggled up next to Fili, lying on her stomach.

That night, Nili had the same dreams she had been having, about the woman in the dwarven garden, every time the woman said the same thing, as did Nili, and it always ended with the woman saying, "Follow the lion."

It was very unnerving for Nili, she had no idea what the dream meant, but she had a disturbing feeling that it wasn't just a thought she had imagined in the artsy touches of sleep.

Something was going to change, but where, when and why?

**I hope you enjoyed! I love funnies! Rate and Review!**

**Until next time,**

**~HxH~**


	6. Chapter 6

Blood upon the Banks

**Sorry I haven't updated recently! I'm working on a new Fic that'll hopefully blow everyone away! Thanks for your support, enjoy!**

Chapter Five

**Nili - 13 (dwarf) 6 (man) **

**Kili - 16 (dwarf) 8 (man)**

**Fili - 20 (dwarf) 10 (man)**

It was around noon and Fili was training with Thorin and Master Dwalin, but Nili and Kili stayed home, for they were apparently to young to train yet, much to the dwarflings' dismay.

Dis was almost finished cooking a small plate of potatoes sprinkled with rosemary and thyme, baked slowly in the oven, and then slathered with butter. Carefully, she pulled a stone dish out of the small brick oven, using a few thick rags, so that she wouldn't burn her hands while removing the pan from the flames.

The smell wafted out of the chimney and Kili sniffed the air, standing near his sister at the edge of the small cliff that semi-bordered around the back of the cottage.

"Food," Kili murmured hungrily, while Nili swatted the dust out of the old doormats and rugs. "You could at least help me, you imbecile!" She shouted at him, throwing a heavy mat towards him, but it fell short of his smug face and fell at his feet.

"You don't even know what that means," Kili pointed out, riling up his little sister on purpose. Nili set her hands and her hips and leaned to one side, "I do too!"

"Nu uh!" Which wasn't exactly a intelligent reply from Kili, but what else was Nili to expect, he was merely a looker, not a thinker.

Being the mature one, Nili shoved her brother down the slope and before she could laugh, Kili grabbed her shirt sleeve and they both started tumbling down until they reached the ground and they stood, dusting themselves off.

"Why'd you push me?" Kili asked, a look of feign innocence in his brown eyes as he smiled wickedly. "You know why!" Nili snapped, but before she could say anything clever, Kili pushed her into a shallow puddle, which actually turned out to be a small mud pool, much to Kili's delight.

"Haha!" he laughed and looked confused when Nili smiled through mud and grime. "Payback!" She yelled and without any more words, she pushed him into a puddle opposite of her and laughed as mud splatter across his face, making for a curious sight.

From the distance, the siblings heard a call, "Lunch!" said Dis, wondering where her mischievous children had gotten into now, shaking her head, she walked back into the cottage.

Kili and Nili scrambled up the semi-steep slope and ran for the house, spreading mud across the rugs and mats that lay on the ground, dirtier than ever before.

Dis turned her head to see the back door ajar and two mud caked dwarflings standing in the doorway, smiling from ear to ear, waiting for their mother to help them clean off the dirt and grime.

What would she do with those two? Three...

**Sorry for the short chapter, but I had to whip something up to satisfy y'all! It took me all of about 10 minutes to write it up... More chapters coming soon! Rate and Review!**

**Until next time,**

**~HxH~**


	7. Chapter 7

Blood upon the Banks

**Hey guys! I'm having an art contest. Whoever can draw the best picture of Nili, Fili and Kili will get to help me write one chapter, get a sneak peek to some of the story, and get to have their art posted as the cover for this story! The contest ends September 2nd, just PM me the link to your drawing or if you aren't a member you can just give the link to me in a review! :) **

**This Chapter is more serious than comical, but don't worry, it has it's moments! Enjoy!**

Chapter Six

**Nili - 20 (dwarf) 10 (man)**

**Kili - 22 (dwarf) 13 (man)**

**Fili - 27 (dwarf) 15 (man)**

_Nili_

This was it, this was my big day. I had been waiting for it for so long and I knew I might just cry from how excited I was. Finally, my first day of training! Father had promised me a long time ago that he would make sure I was able to use a sword and whatever other weapon to my choosing, I had had a few in mind. Ever since Kili started archery I had thought about a bow, but I didn't want to follow in the footsteps of my brother, that was just weird. So I thought about other weapons, well there were a lot to choose from and I didn't feel like trying them all, so I figured I could just step onto the training grounds and then maybe one would just sort of call my name.

I had been wrong. When I stepped onto the smooth dirt I got extremely nervous, because Dwalin, the training master, was standing right there next to my father, but I quickly dismissed my nerves and walked to them with my chin held high. I was a Durin, and that gave me purpose and power, I would learn to fight and drink, did life get any better?

Laughing to myself, I looked up and slightly cowered under Master Dwalin's piercing gaze, he was so tall and dangerous looking, I wanted to look just like him, but I knew if I said that, that my father probably wouldn't be too happy that his daughter wanted to push herself to become the person he wasn't, but rather one of his close friends. That would have been awkward.

"I'm ready!" I announced, getting more nervous by the second and I really just wanted to start before I ran away in fright. "Good. Now you have your sword, pick your secondary," Dwalin said, pointing to a rack of weapons off to the left of the training area. I noticed know that there were training dummies at the far end of the large oval area and it was concealed by high pines all around and all you could see was the sky, bright and blue.

Axes, swords, shields, javelins, maces, spears, halberds, and clubs lined the racks and it was probably going to take me a while to figure out which ones I wanted to use. Then I noticed there were no bows, how did Kili get a bow?

I then saw a small wooden warden's shield with a painting of an oak tree on it, that had to be symbolic of something, I thought. I then grabbed up the shield, strapped my sword to my back and snatched up a halberd that was a little big for me. A halberd is like double bladed axe head on a long stick, you swing it n front of you, warding off your enemies and it made for a nice decapitator.

Grinning, I walked back Dwalin and my father. "Okay. I'm ready," I said with the utmost confidence.

Dwalin looked skeptically at my choice and then nodded. "All right. You follow me," he said motioning for me to follow towards the dummies. He started to teach me some techniques and I thought my father might hop in and help, but he just sat there a smoked his pipe, without a care in the world. I sighed frustrated and I stepped forward and jabbed the dummy with the spike on my weapon. Then with one swift move, I spun around, leaped in the air and sliced his head off.

I was very pleased with myself until Dwalin pointed his sword at my throat. "Don't get over confident, don't ever let your defenses breach even if you think you have won. I struck with my halberd, but it was heavy and he deflected it easily, my slowness started to get the best of me, for several times he had made me yield in our sparring sessions.

Just when I thought things couldn't get worse, Fili and Kili showed up, apparently to come and watch me fail, for they were laughing with my father off to the side. I frowned and threw away the halberd. I drew my sword and struck with force towards Dwalin. I had caught him off guard and he stumbled, but quickly regained his footing and we continued. I don't know for how long, but I had a feeling it had been a while, for I had arrived mid morning and the sky was now growing dark, it was at least sunset now.

"Good. We pick up where we left off tomorrow," he said and I had to smile, this was fun and exciting. I stuck my tongue out at Fili and Kili and they just ruffled my hair and I growled as we walked back to the house.

That night I slept better than I ever had, I was exhausted from all the training and I knew my muscles would be paying for it in the morning. I cuddled up to my brothers and sleep soon claimed me.

The weird dream in the garden had been visiting me every night since it started. It was strange and I knew it had to mean something, because I had never had one dream go on for so long before.

I dismissed it quickly and thought of other things, it was getting hot, but I didn't care. I fell asleep, smiling and telling myself how wonderful my life was. I hoped it didn't change.

**Yay! Four more one shots and then we'll be getting to the movie timeline! I couldn't resist putting this in Nili perspective, it was too tempting.I'm planning on updating soon! PLEASE review! It just means so much to know I have readers and I just really appreciate your feedback!**

**Until next time,**

**~HxH~ **


	8. Chapter 8

Blood upon the Banks

**Here's another one! Thanks again for all the reviews, follows and favorites! It really means a lot to me! Remember the contest for the best art is still going on! Ends September 1st... But I might extend it! ;)**

Chapter Seven

**Nili - 10 (dwarf) 5 (man)**

**Kili - 13 (dwarf) 7 (man)**

**Fili - 18 (dwarf) 9 (man)**

The smell of baked cakes, fluffy muffins, glazed rolls, and soft breads wafted through the air towards the three dwarflings standing by the stable with their uncle.

Thorin had needed a pony for a trip he had to take to visit one of his friends, and the children always loved the trips to town, so he had brought them along. Later he would find that that was a horrible mistake. Nili's tongue wagged as she smelt the air and she turned to face the bakery, seeing a plate of apple cakes, she tugged on Fili and Kili's sleeves and motioned with her head towards the bakery. They both immediately got the message and slowly snuck away, not making a sound.

All three of them hid behind a large wagon and then crept towards the counter in front of the bakery, whilst the baker was busy attending some bread near the oven. Nili slid the wooden plate off of the counter and dashed back to the wagon, followed by her brothers.

"Got 'em!" she cried out triumphantly and set the plate on the ground. "Now pack them in something and let's get home before anyone notices," Fili said, knowing that if they stuck around they were sure to get caught.

Hearing the truth in her brother's words, Nili snatched up a satchel and dumped the apple cakes into the leather bag, smirking as she did so. Reluctantly, she handed the bag to Kili and he grabbed it from her, lifting the flap and taking a whiff of the sweet smelling cinnamon icing that was on the cakes.

"Can't we just eat 'em here!" he complained, but got a sharp elbow jab from Fili. "No! We'll have to eat them in the cellar," he explained, earning fearful looks from his siblings. "What?" he complained, no appreciating their reactions to his brilliant plan.

"The cellar's spooky!" Nili said, shuddering at the thought of eating warm cakes in the cold, nasty cellar. "Yeah," Kili agreed, but it just earned them jabs from Fili and then he slung the satchel over his shoulder and they made off back to the stables.

Thorin just finished exchanging money for the pony when the children came back, smiling. He turned around to see them standing there with ridiculous looks on their faces, he just shook his head at the strange children.

"Are you ready to go back home?" he asked and they all nodded, strange. They usually always wanted to look at weapons or get a treat from the bakery. Little did he know that they already got a treat, which would then backfire on them horribly.

"Where did you get that bag?" he asked Fili, nodding to the satchel that the young dwarfling had. "Um... This old thing," Fili was exceptionally nervous and wished he had let Kili carry the bag. "I've had it for a long time." He felt awful lying, but he just loved the cinnamon iced apple cakes!

When they arrived home, the dwarflings announced they were going to bed, A_nother curious notion_, thought Thorin, _they usually put up such a fight when going to bed_. He shrugged it off and helped Dis tuck them into bed.

"Good night," Dis smiled and kissed each child on the forehead, she walked to the door and closed it behind her as she left. Nili sighed in relief, and looked to the leather satchel on the wooden chair by the fireplace.

Kili smirked wickedly and earned equal looks from Fili and Nili. Together they waited for the sound of Thorin's door closing and it was around midnight before they slowly and quietly crept out of their room, into the kitchen and down the stairs to the basement.

After reaching the bottom of the long staircase, Kili and Nili shoved Fili forward. "You open it!" Nili insisted.

"Yeah, it was your idea," Kili declared and earned a hand over his mouth. "Shut up," Fili hissed quietly, and then gave Nili a death glare, silencing her completely.

He stepped forward and opened the door, it creaked on it's old hinges and he cringed, hopefully Thorin wouldn't wake to the loud noise. After waiting for a few moments to see if there was any stirring from above and there was none, Fili pushed the door open all the way and Nili his behind Kili, who hid behind Fili.

_Sure going through a lot for a couple of cakes_, Nili thought as they entered the dark, damp room. "Ew!" Kili exclaimed. "The floor is all squishy!" Fili threw them both glares and just kept feeling around for the lantern. "Stop complaining, you babies, and help me find the lantern!" The two dwarflings nodded and started to search for the potential light source.

"I found it!" called out Kili, from a little ways away. All of a sudden, light burst forth from the lantern as it was lit and Kili hung it on a hook in the center of the room. Nili wished he hadn't lit the lantern, for now they could see all the disgusting things that the cellar held. A keg of ale lay off to one side and shelves that went all along the walls were lined with books and bottles. Spiders and crawling insects scurried back to the shadows and Nili noticed an old table under the lamp light.

She brushed off the top with the back of her hand. "Come on," she beckoned her brothers and they laid out the cakes on the wooden plate and each of them snatched up the baked goods. "Hands off!" they would yell. "That one is mine!" another would proclaim.

Once all of them were gone, regrettably all fifteen of them, the dwarflings fled quickly out of the cellar, dousing the lamp as they went. They quietly crept back up the stairs and back to bed, without anyone knowing, or so they thought.

Bidding each other goodnight, the three dwarflings were soon asleep, snoring with full tummies and triumphant grins on their faces.

When morning came, Nili felt uncomfortably lethargic and her stomach twisted and growled in discomfort when she tried to move. Sweat poured down her face when she got out of bed and started moving to the door. Suddenly she vomited all over the floor and she trembled as hot and cold waves of discomfort washed over her body. She looked to Fili and Kili and saw they had the same symptoms.

Dis came through the door, hands on hips and a look of amusement on her face. "Eat too much sugar yesterday?" she asked, knowing very well what they had done.

When all Nili could do was nod along with her brothers, Dis scooped her up and set her back in bed. "Just rest now, I'll bring all of you breakfast, but as soon as your well, you are all going to help Master Bombur in his bakery!" she declared and shook her head disapprovingly at her children's mistake. "Stealing cakes from a nice baker," she muttered under her breath as she left and Thorin smiled at her from where he sat at the table.

"How ever did you know they stole them?" he asked, very curious to what his sister might have to say. Dis smiled at him as she leaned against the table. "If you'd lived in this house as long as I have, Brother, you will know the sound your cellar door makes," she grinned and started preparing a breakfast for her small family.

Thorin laughed to himself about the children and then just smirked as he smoked his pipe by the fire.

**I hope you liked it! Leave a review! The more reviews I get the sooner I update! Thanks!**

**Until next time,**

**~HxH~**


	9. Chapter 9

Blood upon the Banks

**Hey buddies! Sorry I haven't updated in a while, but I've just started school and things are a little messy while I'm trying to work around the house, write fanfiction, juggle homework and babysit, but I'm trying to keep y'all updated at least twice a week. I'll try to do better, but in the words of Phineas, "Summer doesn't last forever!" Here's a new shot at the dwarfs! Enjoy!**

Chapter Eight

**Nili - 13 (man)**

**Kili - 15 (man)**

**Fili - 17 (man)**

**(Sorry, but dwarf/man age comparison just stresses me out...) **

**(So let's say that Fili's in his early 30s and Nili and Kili are in their mid 20s in dwarf age)**

"Hold still!" Dis gripped Nili's light brown hair tighter and the girl almost yelped in pain. "Ouch!" she yelled, Dis yanked the knots out of her hair, in an effort to make Nili look more ladylike, although any attempt she made was futile. The young dwarf girl's blue eyes sparkled in annoyance as she had her hair brushed, something she loathed more than bathing. "I look fine," she muttered and crossed her arms across her chest, already extremely annoyed at having to wear a dress.

"No, you do not. Now hold still and stop messing with your dress," Dis popped her hand on the girl's back, making her sit up straight. The dark red fabric of her dress was soft, but to Nili it felt like itchy fire, she hated every aspect of the thing. It went to her calves and she wore a pair of brown leggings underneath it. "A good pair of shears could fix it right up," Nili mused, thinking of how the thing would look with a shirt underneath and a slit going up to her thighs in the front.

That day, was the first day Nili had to help Master Bombur in his Bakery. "I do not even like baking," Nili said, trying to make excuses. "Yes you do, and you are good at it, too!" Dis argued, trying to make Nili see reason, "So stop trying to squirm out of this one." She popped her hand against her back again, much to Nili's annoyance.

When Nili walked out of her room, hair braided to one side with her massive curls on her back down to her waist, and that ridiculous dress, Fili and Kili burst out in laughter. "Aw, shut up!" Nili yelled and shoved Kili's stool over, making it knock into Fili's and they both ended up on the hard floor, not laughing quite so much. "Look brother! It's the bakery girl!" Kili laughed, but Nili looked distraught, so Fili gave his brother a good boot to the backside, making Kili yelp. "What was that for?" he asked, indignant at his brother's sudden change of mood.

Fili pointed to Nili, whom was yanking open the door and running out of the house, Dis was at the door, shaking her head in dismay.

Nili ran through the woods, trying to get away from her family. It hadn't been what Kili had said, it was what Dis had said earlier that morning. * "You'll draw eyes and hearts! I'll have to have you locked away until you are ready to be married." *

At the time, Nili hadn't known fully what she meant, but as soon as she had seen her brothers, she knew that it meant that soon she would marry, and never see her family. She didn't want to be separated from her family, she loved them. Indignant and full of emotion, Nili tore her dress up the middle and pulled up her under corset, in an effort to hide her bust, which had been to revealing for her tastes.

When she continued down a hill, she tripped and landed in the dust, so she brushed herself off, and decided to go to the bakery, hopefully Dis wouldn't be there to correct her on things or have womanly talks while she tried to bake.

Sadly, she had been wrong. Dis stood at the counter and greeted Nili, her arms spread wide, but as soon as she saw her dress, her expression turned to anger and she muttered something, but decided not to make a scene in front of the whole town.

Bombur smiled with his chubby face and handed an apron to the young dwarf girl. "Ah, the infamous cake thief," he said, winking and tapping his nose, much to Nili's relief. She quickly tied on the simple white apron and began once she had Bombur's instruction on what to bake, grabbing flour, sugar, cinnamon, vanilla, baking powder, salt, and various assortments of fruits, and placing them delicately on the table, trying to stay out of the way of her teacher.

Much to Nili's annoyance, Dis stayed the whole time, leaning against the counter, nearly five to ten feet away from where Nili was working, it felt to Nili that Dis was trying to get as much on her nerves as possible.

"No, honey, you want to use more flour."

"How about some more apple?"

"Have you tried more vanilla in that?"

"Mind if I try a taste?"

Nili fumed at all these questions and corrections, trying to calm herself, but she was almost certain that she could feel hot steam, shooting out of her ears. It had gone to far when Dis' talk had gone from baking to... um... child making... Nili felt embarrassment flood her cheeks, but Bombur just seemed to tune it out, laughing quietly to himself about the conversation between mother and daughter.

"A husband must always love, and care for his wife, in all aspects of marriage, if you know what I mean." Dis started, raising her eyebrows, but she didn't need too, Nili got that innuendo just fine on her own. "But the wife, must always please the husband, whether if it is food," she said motioning around her, "or support, or the other thing," she said, raising her eyebrows once more, which annoyed Nili, she turned the Bombur for help, but he was just stirring batter and chuckling to himself.

"I know, I'm fine, it is all alright!" Nili practically shouted, hoping if was enough for her mother to shut her mouth, at least for now.

Fili and Kili strode up to the counter, Fili ruffled Nili's hair and she smacked his hand. "Well, well, well, if it isn't little Nili, all dressed up in her little apron," he mused, feigning ignorance to his sister being there, but she just punched him all the same. "Pretty soon, you both will be getting jobs somewhere a lot less pleasant than the bakery," she growled, knowing well that they were both having to go work in the mines, starting the following week. They both silenced their mocking laughter and grumbled under their breath, walking away without another word.

Nili was content, until her mother started again, she groaned in annoyance. Would she ever escape her annoying family?

**Hope you liked it!**

**Okay so I've been thinking on some new FanFics, I'll start a poll with options for different fics that I"m more than willing to write on my page, just vote and I'll let my readers decide!**

**Until next time, **

**~HxH~**


	10. Chapter 10

Blood upon the Banks

**Hey guys! I decided to write a song for this... I'm not sure for the tune, but if you kind of hum the words that's kind of the tune you get!**

** Finally getting into a little Fili/OC here! (patience for the Kili/OC. It's coming soon enough!) **

***cough... cough* **

**So Nili still doesn't know that she's Frerin's daughter, she thinks she's Thorin's daughter. And she doesn't know much about her mother, because Thorin did have a love of his life... Okay I'm really trying not to cry when I thought on how to come up with the story with Frerin/OC, Thorin/OC, and Dis/OC... **

**I will definitely have to flag that one as romance and tragedy! SO SAD!**

**I won't divulge spoilers though, so please before I start crying, read this happier chapter... **

**ENJOY... *sad face*  
**

Chapter Nine

**Nili - 16**

**Kili - 17**

**Fili - 18**

Over the past few month, Nili had been neglecting her duties at the bakery and her responsibility to be on time for training with her father and Master Dwalin. No one really knew why she wasn't attending as she should, but Nili had grown fond of a few animals around her home and she also trapped for her other job. The furs she collected out of the steel traps were good coin, but it came at a price.

One of her traps was broken, so every time she set it, it would cut into her finger, but she couldn't buy another because they were a hefty price, and she couldn't risk losing another trap, she needed the extra fur.

It was a freezing day in February, and Nili was picking fur out of her traps, trying to get enough money to help out her family. As she pulled a mink out of the trap she smiled and gently wrung it out, trying to get most of the off the fur, so that it wouldn't add unnecessary weight to her bag. Not fully concentrating, she began singing her trapping song as she shoved the furs in her leather pack.

_Frozen river, under my feet, flow gently to me_

_Furless summer, bring to me spring, come gently to me_

_Soft white snow, powdered like so, fall gently on me_

_Fearless pine, swaying up high, guide me gently_

_Quiet calming breeze, up in the trees, blow gently to me_

_A cold steel trap, lay in my lap, bring fur to me_

She continued by humming, and not even she knew the power of her melodic voice, for she never sang for anyone, it was something she didn't take lightly. For she believed singing was a powerful thing, of which you could use against foes or to help your friends, but her family had never heard her sing, only the animals in the woods had, or so she thought.

The soft smile on her face quickly faded when she heard a rustle in the bushes, which didn't sound animal like at all. "Who's there?!" she demanded, pointed her sharp, curved hunting knife in the direction of the rusting bush. "Come on out," she yelled again, causing a very sheepish looking Fili to walk into the clearing that she stood in.

"Fili. Why are you here?" she questioned, sheathing her knife and looking back down to her traps, placing the empty ones on her small wooden sled she pulled behind her.

He still looked embarrassed at getting caught, but he regained himself and replied levelly, "Mother wanted to know when you'd be done, she needs help with... her sewing!" he said, as if just then knowing what to say.

Nili looked at him for a while, judging what he meant by what he had said, and after a while, she nodded and set her heavy bag on the sled.

The month of February was when Nili was born and though birthdays weren't extremely special celebrations, in the dwarven culture, they still surprised their fellow dwarf with a present and a feast. Nili was well aware that it was her birthday, but she didn't feel like celebrating herself, she didn't always like being the center of attention.

"Well let us go then," she mumbled, but stopped as Fili gently grabbed her arm. "Wait. Um... here," he said, handing her a small wrapped parcel. Nili looked at him, slightly annoyed that he got her a present, but she was happy all the same.

As she unwrapped it, she gasped in amazement. A wide band of mithril with a gold center band shone in her hand, beautiful rubies glittering brilliantly in the winter sun. "Fili. I-," he interrupted her and began speaking. "This is for the sweetest, fiercest, and most beautiful creature in all of Ered Luin," he said, pulling out a mithril chain and slipping the ring onto it, placing it gently around her neck.

Tears bubbled in her eyes as she tried to find the words to thank the kind dwarf in front of her, but words failed her, so she planted a soft kiss on his cheek and threw her arms around him, smiling wildly. "Thank you," she said, as he held her in his strong arms, at a loss for words himself. All he could do as he stood there was bury his face in her soft brown curls, while a satisfied smile sat on his lips.

~HxH~

It was nearly five O' clock when the two returned home from trapping, but Nili didn't feel like celebrating that night, she was tired and confused about Fili's actions that morning. She reluctantly went inside, followed by Fili, but strangely no one was in the house.

"Where is everyone?" she asked, but immediately took it back, feeling how selfish her words could have sounded, but Fili knew her well and dismissed her words. "They must be getting things ready." he mused, leading her into their room. "Mother picked out a dress for you, she'd like you to wear it. But she said not to force you," he smiled and shut the door after Nili had walked in, giving her privacy to change.

Nili looked down at the green dress before her, it was of soft material, and it easily glided onto her body as she slipped in over her head. It hugged her curves and had nice ruffly white lace coming out of the bosom in a sort of cravat. It had silver accents and detail, with a subtle flower pattern in a slightly darker green. She let a small gasp escape her lips as she turned to see the dress on her in the mirror, it was absolutely beautiful.

Quickly, she dawned a small amount of eye coal and lip stain of a pretty rose shade. A tear slipped from her eye, she wiped it away and smiled to herself in the mirror, trying to reassure herself that it would be alright and she wouldn't cry that evening. Growing up was a frightening thing, and Dis' recent talk about marriage and children was scaring Nili, she didn't want to leave her youth behind.

Gathering herself, she smoothed her skirts and pushed open her door, smiling as Fili looked to her in awe. "Lovely..." Was all he could mutter. Nili laughed heartily and punched his shoulder. "I still punch well too!" she reminded him, still giggling as Fili began laughing.

"Can you braid my hair?" Nili asked, giving him a brilliant, sparkling smile. Fili sighed and feigned annoyance. "You'll have to learn to braid your own hair, Ni," he said, sitting down behind her in front of the crackling fireplace.

She felt his rough hands glide gently over her soft brown locks, almost making her shudder. '_Stop it!'_ she scolded herself, mentally. She didn't know why she had been acting so strange the last few weeks. Sometimes when he was around her she felt bashful and sometimes she even caught herself blushing. _'What's wrong with you, Nili?!'_ she thought to herself. _'Pull yourself together.' _

As Fili's hands expertly braided her hair, Nili tried to think of other things, like pipe smoke, ale, trapping, and desserts! But alas, all of those things reminded her of her sweet Fili. They had known each other since she was nothing more than a babe, but why did she all of a sudden have these obnoxious butterflies, and this funny tingling feeling on the back of her neck that made her beard hair stand up on end.

Suddenly, she felt Fili stop braiding and he moved to her side, gently brushing his fingers over her light beard that started at her ear and stopped before it reached her chin, keeping on the jaw line. As he started to braid her beard in small portions, he reached up and grabbed a few ornamental beads off the table and began to clasp the braids. She tried her best to look happy and not seem upset, but as his hands gently moved up to tug a lock of hair in front of her ear, she trembled slightly and leaned into his soft touch.

Fili had an unreadable expression as her eyes stared into his matching orbs, and taking Nili by surprise, he cupped her jaw and gently leaned in, softly capturing her lips with his own. Nili was terrified, but soon she sank into the wonderful feeling and began by pulling the braids on opposite sides of his head and started tenderly kissing his bearded jaw. Quickly noticing what had happened, Nili pulled away and scooted away from Fili, leaving him sitting there alone in front of the fire, as she stood quickly and ran to the door, her heavy boots clomping against the dirt floor.

As she slammed the door to the cottage shut, she sank down at the base of a tree and held her face in her hands.

What had _she_ done?

**Gah! I'm soooooo sorry about the long wait for this chapter, but I promise I'll have more frequent updates. ;)**

**This chapter was my worst nightmare, because I wasn't sure how much to do and how fast... This is a two part chapter, and after the second part we'll start on the beginning of the movie/book verse... **

**I hope you love it! **

**Until next time,**

**~HxH~**


	11. Chapter 11

Blood Upon the Banks

**Thank you to my beautiful and talented reviewers, Borys68 and Kassandra85! You guys are so awesome!**

**I know the last chapter was a bittt of a cliff... But don't worry. **

**More drama and romance, and LOTS of violence and adventure!**

**Please enjoy!**

Chapter 10

**Nili - 17**

**Kili - 17**

**Fili - 18**

_Seven Moons Tavern_

_Gondamon, Ered Luin_

Nili found out that her party was to be held at the tavern, which she loved, because she was officially old enough to drink and she would get to be involved in the games.

She arrived alone, as she was supposed to arrive with Fili, but no one asked any questions as she stepped in and people yelled her name.

A brilliant smile graced her lips and she wrinkled her nose at the delicious stench of ale and pipe smoke.

Her father caught her in a huge bear hug, along with Kili and Dis.

"Happy birthday, my love!" Thorin exclaimed, smiling broadly, a rare sight. "Thank you," she said, hoping everyone wouldn't ask about her less than excited mood.

"COME ON!" Kili yelled, and taking Nili's hand they were in the middle of the room, dancing around, along with many other dwarves, whom Nili didn't know.

Bombur stood at the bar, arranging cakes and pastries, an adorable grin on his fat, rosy face.

As Nili and Kili trotted around the room, laughing and smiling as people around them clapped, stomped there feet and played fiddles.

No one could say that dwarves didn't know how to have a good time.

When the song ended, Nili sat down at a table, and Kili continued dancing with a rather attractive dwarf maiden. As she sat there, laughing quietly, she heard the door open and turned to see Fili walking inside, a feigned smile on his face that only Nili could see.

He caught her gaze and held it for a few seconds, before she broke contact, stood and began walking to the bar.

Taking long, leisurely strides, Fili soon stood beside Nili at the bar, taking an ale from the tavern keep and downing it quickly.

He saw Nili drag her finger along the rim of the wooden pint, contemplating if she should take a swig or leave the frothy liquid alone.

Inhaling slowly, she took the mug in her hands and lifted it to her lips, taking a long, slow drink of the ale.

As she pulled her face back, she burped loudly and a small giggle escaped her, she decided to not drink anymore.

Reaching to the platter of cakes, she picked up a squishy, fluffy cake of some sort and looking down she saw it was her old enemy. The soft apple cake with the white cinnamon icing.

Fili grabbed one up and raised it high in the air, a smile on his bearded face. "To old mistakes," he said, and Nili quickly raised her cake and bashed it into his, then pulling it down and taking a giant bite.

The delicious taste of the cake was lost on Nili, because Thorin grabbed her hand and offered her a dance. She smiled and tossed her cake to Fili, which he expertly grabbed.

Laughing, she entered the floor with her Father and they danced around for a time, while the fiddlers played something up beat.

"I never knew you could dance," Nili joked at her father while they danced.

He gave her a mischievous smile, something Nili had never seen before. "I can do more than just dance."

Taking her by surprise, Thorin lifted his daughter into the air and spun her in circles. He brought her back and twirled her out and back in, smiling the whole time, while Nili giggled and grinned widely.

As the song ended, they parted and Nili felt like she needed a drink, but she had no time, before she was thrust into a chair and told which present to open first.

As per Kili's request, she opened his first, presenting the crowd with a beautiful knife with an intricately carved antler hilt.

She quickly thanked and hugged her brother, starting to open Dis' present. The tightly wrapped package bore a beautiful hooded leather cloak made of brown stained doe skin, trimmed with light brown rabbit fur.

A smile played across her lips as she tightly embraced her Aunt, and Dis gave her a kiss on the cheek and told her to open Thorin's present.

The lumpy, odd shaped parcel was wrapped in red cloth, carefully positioned so that whatever it held would have no harm done to it.

Nili threw her father a questioning look, but he just nodded. Gently folding back the cloth, she let a gasp escape her as the fabric fell back to expose a gorgeous, wooden instrument. The bow was strung with horse hair and she immediately recognized her favorite instrument.

Master Balin had taught her the art when she was a girl, but she still remembered how to play.

She took the violin into her hands and ran her fingers over a gentle carving of a mountain on the back and smiled at her father.

He smiled back, and finding courage, Nili took the bow, and placing her chin on the instrument, she began to play.

The most beautiful sound came from the violin as she gently drug the bow up and down the delicate strings.

Stealing a glance at Fili, she saw him with a thoughtful smile, but he looked troubled. What would she do about their earlier sudden feelings? Did Fili love her that way?

When she ceased playing, everyone in the tavern clapped loudly and fiddlers started playing again. Many dwarves danced in the room, but Nili stood away from the festivities, not wanting to bring the crowd down with her almost brooding, mood.

She didn't notice when Fili came and stood next to her, until he reached a calloused hand out to hers and smiled gently. "Dance?" he asked simply.

Nili felt a sting in her heart, she couldn't deny a dance so openly, she had to do this.

Taking a deep breath, she took his outstretched hand, and he pulled her up, leading her to the dance floor.

The fiddlers started playing a slower, sad song, and Nili and Fili slowly moved around the floor.

Nili placed her arms around Fili's neck and rested against his broad chest. She was half a head shorter than him, and could easily rest her head on his shoulder.

"What are you thinking about?" He asked, curiosity, but also concern danced in his eyes, silently asking a deeper question. Who are you thinking about?

Nili had a desperate look on her face, as if pleading him not to ask that question, but she had to do something, she didn't want to lie.

Deeply inhaling his strong leather and ale scent, she found courage. "You." she said boldly, earning a small fidget from Fili, but his dancing didn't waver.

He gently pulled back from her, searching her eyes, then he embraced her roughly and she couldn't help but smile as she fiercely hugged him back.

She felt one hand cradling her head, and the other wrapped around her waist. Sighing, Fili kissed the side of her head, enjoying the earthy, metallic scent that she gave off.

At that moment, he thought about his uncle's schemes and how he knew they were more than just mere foolish ideas. He knew what would befall them if they went on this journey.

And although, they still had years before they set out, Fili lnew for certain that it was going to happen. But what he dreaded most was that he woukd have to leave his beloved Nili behind.

That was what hurt.

**Alright guys! The next chapter will start with the kind of movie verse/my imagination type writing... But I WILL throw in book reference. **

**And people! Remember that we owe this genius, that is the Hobbit, to Tolkien! **

**Thank you to my readers, reviewers and followers. You guys _are_ the BEST!**

**Until next time, **

**~HxH~**


	12. Chapter 12

Blood upon the Banks

**This chapter is written in Fili and Nili's perspectives, maybe a dash of Thorin, too... I'm gonna scare y'all a bit here! Thanks for the reviews!**

**Enjoy!**

**Chapter 11**

**Nili - 20**

**Kili - 22**

**Fili - 24 **

**Fili**

Fili gripped his pony's reins tighter and gave him another kick, urging him forward with all his might.

Slowly turning his head, he saw his pursuer getting closer by the second. He cursed, and nearly lost his balance when his pony, Shamrock, cleared a fallen tree.

Tree branches slapped at his face, and he was out of breath, desperately weaving Shamrock through trees and rock outcroppings. A laugh from behind him warned him of his approaching adversary.

He saw the nose of a black pony appear next to his own, then a head, a neck, a shoulder, a Nili, a hip... Wait... Nili.

He loved her laugh, as she smiled widely and raced him to the cottage. Her pony, Bungo, was easily faster than his own, but Shamrock was the better jumper.

"Farewell, loser!" Nili shouted as she spurred Bungo on, and they dashed ahead, a smirk on her face.

Fili cursed and kept Shamrock at a steady pace, knowing that if he let his horse run now, he would be spent before the race was run.

~HxH~

Kili came into view as Fili rounded the bend. He had gotten very far ahead, his pony had the best footing, and running a rocky trail wasn't accommodating Shamrock and Bungo at all.

Daisy, Kili's pony, ran with great assurance and speed, clearing rock and tree. Laughter rang off Kili's lips, and Fili smirked, moving up next to Nili and Bungo.

He got Shamrock up to a fair speed, matching Nili and her pony well. "I'm winning," he declared, urging Shamrock forward to go as fast as possible. Uncertainty ran through Fili when he saw the mischievous grin on Nili's face. What was she up to?

Before he could think anymore, something hard slapped his right hand, making him recoil and make his pony turn off the path. Cursing and muttering, he dismounted and pulled his pony out of the undergrowth.

He wouldn't win this race.

"Oh well. Might as well bet on one of them," he said, leading his pony down a path that lead straight to the finish line, where the local people were awaiting their racers.

Bearded dwarf men yelled insults to other betters, while shouting and cheering for the racers. Fili approached slowly, Shamrock walked behind him, following him loyally.

When the betters saw him, they patted him on the back and wished him luck next time. Shaking his head, he sat down and waited for the racers to round the bend and cross the finish line.

Thick trees and undergrowth clouded the path, until the racers would come from the forest, then a fifty foot stretch of open field till they reached the finish line.

There were a small set of rules that applied to every inch of the track, until you reached the field, then nothing was off limits. Fili didn't like that part, but he had to go if Nili was to go as well.

Suddenly, the riders burst out of the trees, Kili in the lead, with another dwarf behind him, then Nili. Fili saw her catch up with the other dwarf named Kain. No one liked the ill tempered dwarf, he was young, arrogant and ruthless.

Just the sight of Kain made Fili snarl and nearly blow smoke, he didn't want his Nili anywhere near that beast. Fili though his hate for the ugly dwarf couldn't be any stronger, but he was wrong.

~HxH~

**Nili**

As Nili tried to pass Kain on his raggedy brown pony, he reached out and pulled the hood of her cloak, catching some of her hair as well. Nili yelped in pain and tried to make Kain let go, letting Bungo run and attempting to claw and scratch Kain's hands off her hair.

She grabbed her sturdy black crop, and with a terrible cry, she smacked the thin, leather wrapped stick down hard on his hand. Hearing a cry of pain, she looked back to see Kain holding his swelling, bruising hand, and Nili felt a wave of fear wash over her as Kain snarled at her, hate and malice burned in his coal black eyes.

Yelping in fright, Nili spurred Bungo, but he was starting to get tired and started slowing his pace. Kain neared her from behind and she tried to hunch low in her saddle to prevent him from grabbing her. With her face turned, she didn't see Kain until it was too late, and when she rotated her head, a cry split her lips as a knife slid deathly slow across her cheek.

It hadn't cut deep, but the wound burned. Nili looked back and saw an evil grin on Kain's twisted face, a bloody dagger in one hand. lifting herself up and sitting backwards in her saddle, she kicked a confused looking Kain, square in the chest, sending him to the ground in a cloud of dust.

But Nili wavered and lost her balance, slipping and landing on the ground next to Kain. The one place in the world where she didn't want to be.

Taking a sharp breath, she quickly stood, but felt a blinding pain in her side. She couldn't hear anything but a loud ring in her ears, she opened her mouth in an attempt to speak, but no words came from her mouth.

With a shaking hand, Nili drew her dagger Kili had given her from her sheath and attempted to defend herself. She had seldom used the daggers, but she always carried at least one with her.

Fear ran through her again, almost making her fall back, when Kain began to rise.

Although he was only a feet inches taller than her, he towered over her, the sun behind him, making him appear completely as a shadow. Nili raised her dagger and put one hand behind her, trying to sit up, but the pain in her side was still awful.

Kain grabbed her foot and started to drag her up as she lay almost completely defenseless. Quickly, she slashed out with her dagger, making him withdraw his hand. Chills ran up and down her spine as he laughed deeply, grabbing her hand and throat, tearing the dagger out of her grip and hoisting her up into the air.

She choked for air, but it was to no avail. Kain raised a fist and punched her in the stomach, making her cough violently and try to kick him, but her energy was spent and she could see no positive outcome for her.

Just as she thought she might die in Kain's hands, an arrow whizzed past her head and pierced the dwarf's hand, making him yell in pain. He dropped Nili to the ground and she landed in a knotted, crumpled heap. Kain grabbed the arrow that had almost completely pierced his hand and ripped it out, making Nili cringe, but before she could scramble away, someone jumped in between the two and was fighting off Kain.

The sunlight was making everything appear in shadow, and Nili couldn't make out who Kain's adversary was, but in any case she was more than grateful. Her shadowy rescuer, was battling the ugly dwarf with it's own fists, punching Kain in the face and making him howl and recoil.

When Kain went to punch the shadow, it ducked and kicked Kain's legs, making him crash to the dirt. The shadow straddled the larger dwarf and punched him countless times, making him cringe and cry out in pain.

Another person appeared and started pulling the shadow off Kain, much to Nili's dismay. She had to squint her eyes to see anything, but it still didn't help her identify anyone at the scene.

Her savior kneeled before her and started talking, but his voice was unnaturally deep and gargled, she realized her ears were still ringing and effected the dwarf's voice.

Blinking hard, she almost cried out when her ears stopped ringing and adjusted so that she could hear the loud clamor of what was around her. She immediately recognized the voice talking to her and flung her arms around the shadowy figure, making him gasp.

She felt his arms tighten around her as she buried her face in his soft, musty hair.

"Nili," she heard him whisper and she smiled, blood from her cheek seeping into her mouth, so she wiped it away. "Kili," she hugged him tighter, feeling completely safe in his arms.

Kili softly drew her away from him, and when he saw the blood on her cheek and the tears streaming down her face, Nili saw him huff and turn a frighteningly fuming glare to Kain.

Gently, he pulled her back into his embrace and she almost cringed from the pain in her side, but it was worth the pain.

Nili looked to see that Fili was the one that had pulled his brother off of Kain. He turned and ran to her, gently folding her into his arms. Kili let go of her and let his brother hold the girl they both loved dearly.

"What were you thinking?" Fili asked toyingly. Nili laughed nervously. "I could ask you the same question."

"Hm?" Fili questioned, wondering what she meant. "You pulled Kili off of Kain," she stated. "I wouldn't have minded if Kili had killed that rotten bastard."

Fili just hugged her tighter.

Over the last few years Fili and Nili had held no other kisses or soft touches, they had avoided each other as best they could for a few months, but it was hard since they shared a house and a room. Nili longed to feel his soft lips on hers, but she knew it was a foolish thought, something that would never be able to happen again. So she pushed all thoughts of it from her mind and only thought of him as her brother, but it was harder than she anticipated.

~HxH~

That night, Nili laid upon her bed, her mid section bandaged and her cheek had been tended to by the local healer, a kind deaf dwarf named Oin.

She cringed as she listened to her father yell at Fili and Kili, telling them how foolish they were to go to one of the cross country races. Nili had known it was dangerous, but the rush of racing was better than any other.

It had been Nili that had begged her cousins to take her to the races, now she felt very guilty.

~HxH~

**Thorin**

He felt bad for his nephews, but he had to be stern and strict so that they would know that they weren't to go racing again.

Finding out that his daughter had been hurt and nearly killed by the bastard child Kain. He had almost run his fist through a wall.

The next day, Thorin would have to have the guards at least consider jailing him. He was an evil soul and he might never have learned his lesson.

Thorin had been utterly shocked, and very proud, to hear that it was Kili who had beaten Kain senseless and had shot an arrow through his hand to save his cousin.

For that Thorin had patted him on the back, but he still knew that they had disobeyed him, when he had told them that they weren't allowed to go.

As he dismissed them that night, he watched them scurry back to their room, desperate for sleep, he sat before the hearth and smoked his pipe.

When would he tell Nili the truth, would he ever? She had to know, but Thorin couldn't bear the thought of what she might do when she found out.

He had almost told his nephews that they weren't to come on his journey with him, but they had shown considerate courage, loyalty, and bravery, and he would seem cruel if he didn't allow them to come with him.

Smoke swirled around over his head, he didn't want to tell Nili that she couldn't come, he knew she would want badly to come with them. But he couldn't endanger his niece's life for his own cause, he couldn't do that to Frerin.

The very thought of his younger brother practically made him choke up. How he missed his brother, his Frerin.

But he knew Nili would fight him, she had her father's spirit and her mother's looks.

He nearly laughed at the thought of his sweet little niece and how when she was younger she would run around, yelling mindless nonsense.

Sitting there, he sat staring at the flames, and Dis gave him a blanket and he didn't move until dawn.

**I bet y'all were thinking that the shadow was Fili huh? ;p**

**I thought about it, but I decided to mix it up! **

**This chapter got longer than normal, but I wanna cover the space between the one shots and the beggining of the quest in about 3 chapters...**

**So like two more chapters and then we'll introduce Bilbo and all the other dwarves. **

**The ponies are getting introduced! **

**Thanks to my beautiful reviewers, readers, and followers! See y'all soon!**

**Until next time,**

**~HxH~**


	13. Chapter 13

_Blood Upon the Banks _

**Sooooo sorry about the late update, but I was sick, I had theater rehearsals, dance rehearsals, school classes, homework... And EVERYTHING else that could've delayed my posting... I apologize again.**

**Thanks to my reviewers, Borys68 and Kassandra85! You guys rule!**

**Okay so the ages are the same as the last chapter throughout the FanFiction, unless there's a flashback or if I make anyone older as time goes on.**

**Chapter 12**

A month had passed since Nili's experience with Kain, and her ribs had healed sufficiently, but the cut on her cheek had left a scar running up her cheek all the way to her hairline.

Angry thought ran through Nili's mind as she madly sliced another training dummies head off. She had overheard her father talking to her cousins about a quest he was planning.

Her furious mood was just fueled when she saw Fili walking to her from across the training yard.

"Hello," he smiled, but frowned when she turned and snarled at him. "Woah! What's the matter with you?" He asked, holding up his hands.

Nili merely growled at him and continued slicing and stabbing at her opponent.

"Well you just be mad, but I didn't do anything wrong!" He declared, irritated that his closest friend was openly hostile. Although he had spoken his mind, he instantly regret it when he saw Nili cease her attack and look to the ground.

She turned, swinging her great-sword out, and only stopping the blade when it reached half an inch from Fili's throat, slicing off the end of his mustache braid.

Fili gave her a terrified, outraged look, mouth agape. "You're insane!" He yelled, without moving an inch.

"The feelings mutual, cousin," she muttered, lowering her blade and throwing him a mean glare that was filled with her hate. Fili just gave her a shocked look, and felt extremely hurt. She NEVER referred to him as "cousin".

"Nili," he said sadly, reaching his hand out to her. She just shook her head at him and turned away, tears spilling down her face. "Go away," she muttered, tossing her shield across her back, sheathing her sword, and walking into the woods.

Fili wondered what could have made her so mad at him, and practically hit himself when he figured it out. "Nili!" He called out after her. "Nili! I'm sorry!"

~HxH~

Nili dashed through the trees, making her way back to her horse that was awaiting her in his pen.

Angry tears cascaded down her face as she yanked open the gate to the pony pen. "Come on Bungo," she said forcefully, causing the pony to look at her with concern, and approach warily.

Bungo wasn't saddled, but Nili could ride without one fairly well, but not as well as she hoped. He nuzzled her chest, and didn't object when the angry dwarf climbed on his back. Taking up the reins, Nili lightly kicked her heels into Bungo's sides, and he dashed from the gate, not needing any more persuasion.

Muttering and cursing under her breath, Nili didn't see the approaching rider on the wooded path to town. Looking up, she yelled and yanked back on Bungo's reins, making his hooves slide on the smooth cut stone path, whilst he tried to stop.

The rider looked up, but it was too late, and Bungo fearfully crashed into the other pony, felling their riders and then galloping off in fright. Nili cursed bitterly and wiped the tears from her eyes.

"Why were you riding so fast?" She heard a familiar voice say. "Kili," she muttered and quickly stood, brushing off her tunic and giving him a scowl.

She then realized that they were practically in the town, and she gave a short, bitter laugh. "Well at least Bungo got me somewhere," she said, not even answering Kili's earlier question.

Kili looked at her skeptically, wondering why she would be heading anywhere without knowing where to go. "Yes, well. Might as well grab a pint, huh?" He said, giving her a playful punch and grinning brightly.

Nodding, Nili didn't notice the tall brute approaching them until she saw Kili being picked off the ground by his shirt collar.

"Hello, weasel," Kain said, chuckling evilly. Nili growled and kicked the large dwarf in the shin, making him yowl in pain. "Get up, you ugly bastard," she taunted him, drawing her sword and grabbing her shield, securing the straps on her arms. Anger danced in her eyes, as she saw Kili had been thrown against the city wall and was unconscious, blood dripping from his nose.

Kain smirked and his crooked, yellowed teeth nearly made Nili gag, but she held her ground even as he drew his hunting axe from his belt. It's edge was decorated with blood, and it was rusted, but surprisingly sharp.

Dodging Kain's first swing, Nili outstretched her arms, and swung her sword, cutting the back of Kain's leg. He cried out and growled, his twisted face turning even more, in anger.

Taking a lunge towards her, Kain bash her sword away from her and held it in his hand. Without hesitating, he lashed out with Nili's sword and his axe, hacking into Nili's shield. But she didn't waver, and bashed Kain's weapons away with the hard wooden shield.

He nearly yelped, and tried to gather up the weapons, but Nili tackled him, the only thing in between them, her shield. Smashing him against the wall, Nili drew her hunting knife, and as the disgusting dwarf beneath her struggled to free himself, Nili kept her shield against him.

She drug the sharp edge of her knife slowly down his face, making a long, ugly cut from his hairline to his jaw. He winced and struggled, crying out in pain.

Maddened, he shoved Nili off of him, but before he could do anything else, the girl took her fist, and slammed it against his nose, making him fall to the ground.

Nili spit in the dirt next to his face, the highest form of disrespect. He growled and stood, running into the town. After watching him run, leaving the weapons lying in the dirt, Nili turned to Kili.

His eyes were shut, but he was still breathing. Nili cupped his cheeks and stroked them with her thumbs. As she sat there, she felt him reach up to his face, and place his hands over her own, then he captured her in a hug.

Breathing a sigh of relief, Nili then noticed the flesh that had been ripped away from her knuckles. Blood dripped down from her hand, but she had to worry about Kili.

"Are you hurt badly?" She asked, helping him stand. "No, no. I'm alright," he gave her a weak smile. "That was quite a fight you put up, huh, little sister?"

Nili laughed lightly. "Let us just say that he will not be coming back to bother us anytime soon," she grinned a little, and picked up her sword, sheathing it once more.

Smiling broadly, Kili looked down, then his eyes returned to Nili's. "Bury the hatchet?" He asked. Nili looked at him confusedly. Why would they need to bury the hatchet?

"What on earth do you mean?" Nili finally asked, when Kili didn't elaborate. He rolled his eyes and bent down, picking up Kain's axe.

"Sorry," he paused slightly, dramatically emphasizing the weapon in his hands, "bury the_ axe._"

Nili just playfully shoved him, and threw the axe into the nearby trees, not wanting to deal with it further. "So," she began, staring into Kili's face, "when are you leaving?" she asked bluntly, not wanting to delay the information further.

Kili just looked down at the dirt, hoping she wouldn't be mad. "How did you find out?" he said, his head still hanging. "I overheard you two and father talking the other night," she said, placing her hand on Kili's shoulder.

"Are you mad?" he inquired, looking up a little to see Nili's expression. "I was when Fili found out that I knew, but I'm not anymore," she sighed and hugged her beloved cousin.

"That's why you were riding so fast away from the training yard." Nili nodded, and Kili slung his arm over her shoulder. "I want you to come with us."

He sighed, and Nili knew that there was obviously more. "But I know Uncle won't allow it."

It was Nili's turn to hang her head. She should've seen this coming. Of course her father wouldn't let her come on this dangerous quest, a quest that could easily claim all their lives.

No! Nili made a silent pledge right then, that no matter what, she would protect them from harm, even if she had to sacrifice herself, she would do so for them.

~HxH~

"I'm coming with you!" Nili yelled, finding courage as she bust through the front door and into the living room, startling her father, Fili and Dis. "What are you talking a-" Thorin stopped mid-sentence, not needing anymore explanation from his daughter.

Shaking his head, Thorin stood from his chair and placed his pipe on the table. "No you will not," he said, complete command lacing his voice. Nili would have been shaking in her boots if she didn't want to go with them so badly.

Stretching to her full height, which was about three inches shorter than her father, Nili stared him down, fire gleaming in her eyes. "I am seventy five years old. I am old enough to come with you, and skilled enough," she demanded, not blinking, even as her father leaned forward, peering down at her.

~HxH~

As he regarded her stance, and demeanor, Thorin had to admit, that if he wasn't related to the dwarf before him, he would have been slightly terrified of her.

Opening his mouth to begin to speak, he was abruptly cut off as Nili began to speak. "I am your daughter, your heir, give me a reason why I should not come with you!" she exclaimed.

Thorin felt fire run through his veins. She was his heir, but he nearly broke every time she called him father or called herself his daughter. The loss of his brother still cut deep.

"You aren't coming," he said, sitting down, reclaiming his pipe, and meaning for that to be the last word, sadly he was wrong.

Nili nearly blew smoke. "Give me a reason!" she yelled, making Kili and Fili look at her in surprise. Dis excused herself, and quickly went to her room.

"I do not need to give you anymore reason than that you are to stay here for your own safety," he answered, his blood boiling, couldn't this child understand that he was doing this for her own good.

At his word, Nili growled. "Have I not proven myself worthy?! Do you expect you will go off reclaiming Erebor, while I'm sitting here, sewing?!" she demanded, wanting to know why her father was being so pigheaded.

Kili and Fili retreated to their room, not wanting to anger either of their family members.

~HxH~

Fili flinched as he heard more yelling from the other room. This had been going on for about two hours, back and forth, non stop. Of course Fili hated to hear them argue so much, but he didn't want to get his head chopped off if he intervened.

Slowly, he sat up in his bed, hearing Kili snoring loudly on the opposite side of the bed. He rolled his eyes and threw a pillow over Kili's head, which barely muffled the loud noises he was making. Shaking his head, Fili lit the lamp on the table and grabbed the map which lay next to it.

He studied the map for half an hour before his eyelids began to droop. Carefully, he blew out the lamp and set the map down, drawing the covers over his chest, to rest comfortably under his arms.

Fili barely heard the door open and close, the soft pressure on the middle of the mattress, and the sound of soft, muffled sobs, that were almost to quiet to hear. Laying on his side, Fili turned over and saw Nili lying on her stomach, face turned away from him, but he knew very well that the argument hadn't landed in her favor.

Gently, Fili wrapped his arms around Nili's waist and pulled her back to his chest. She then turned over to face him, and giving him one red eyed glance, she buried her face in his shoulder, and he hugged her tighter, kissing the top of her head and whispering softly to her.

Nili wept softly into his shoulder, until she could not shed another tear, and then she drifted off into a dream filled sleep.

**Sorry again for the late update! I try to update every three days, which is kind of a weird schedule, but it works for me.**

**Expect the next update on Sunday or Monday!**

**I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and we will be off to Hobbiton in the next chapter! Yay!**

**I'll just let you know now, that I have made all my fanfictions mix together! So I'm currently writing a Bilbo/OC fanfic that will be posted sometime near the end of this fanfic. I also have a Smaug/OC, a Beorn/OC, a Thorin/OC Frerin/OC Dis/OC, and a Thranduil/OC (on hold)**

**Until next time,**

**~HxH~**


	14. Chapter 14

_Blood upon the Banks_

**Thanks for the reviews! I always appreciate them!**

**Chapter 13**

Nili sat in her saddle, gently swaying back and forth, with Bungo walking along behind Shamrock, and alongside with Daisy.

The sun was about to set, and so far their journey to Hobbiton was completely uneventful. Fili and Kili tried to make light of it, and Nili was happy that her father had finally agreed to letting her come. But she felt that he had more to say than he told.

She decided not to think about it any longer, and soon she drifted into a peaceful sleep, the rocking back and forth motion of her horse, being very relaxing.

~HxH~

Someone was shaking her. But why? She didn't want to wake, she just wanted to sleep, but all the same, she opened her eyes and saw they had stopped and Kili was trying to wake her from his seat on Daisy.

"We're here," he said, but this didn't look like how that old gray wizard had described Hobbiton to be. Nili saw thin tall pines all around, and a shallow creeks and marshes all around.

There was a sort of log made house, but it was made into the side of a hill with grass growing as the roof, which was odd. Nili turned her head from side to side, and saw hobbits, hobbits, and more hobbits. Some wore small caps upon their curly heads, some wore straw farming hats, and some wore nothing, but their sandy curls.

Curiosity filled Nili as she looked from hobbit to hobbit. All of them looked happy and extremely well fed, not as much as Master Bombur, but well fed all the same. Some carried baskets full of fruits, or vegetables, flowers, or eggs. Everything about hobbits ignited Nili's active curiosity, and she was watching everything with wide eyes.

"Well are you going to get down?" she heard Fili saw, but his voice seemed very far away. "They don't have beards," was all she could muster as a reply.

She nearly yelped, when she felt herself get picked out of her saddle and flung over Fili's shoulder. It was embarrassing, but she wasn't sure she didn't like it. Hobbits from everywhere looked over and shook their heads.

"Those dwarves are always brutish like so, I don't know a hobbit that would ever do something so... brutish," she heard a hobbit whisper to another with dark locks framing her face, and a blue cotton dress. The one with the dark hair looked to Nili in curiosity and waved slightly.

Nili looked to her and smiled, waving back. She felt Fili set her down in front of a round yellow door, with the knob right in the center. Everything about these hobbits was odd.

They walked into the cheery inn and were greeted by a few frogs and turtles, just crawling around on the floor. Nili smiled and picked up a frog, petting the top of it's head with her index finger.

"Hello Master hobbit," Fili said to the happy looking hobbit at the counter. "Would you be so kind as to tell me where we are?" he asked politely, recalling the manners his mother had taught him.

The hobbit looked at him skeptically, but then burst into an amount of happy chattering. "Welcome to the Floating Log Inn, located in the heart of Frogmorton!" he said, pushing forward a book with a quill attached to and ink well.

"The name's Ponto. Ponto Hopsbloom!" he said cheerily, offering them a brilliant smile. Nili liked the old, round hobbit very much, he was the most friendly face she had ever seen.

Nili shoved her hand across the counter, holding it out for the hobbit to shake. "I'm Nili, and these are my brothers, Fili and Kili," she said, gesturing to them.

Ponto looked a little startled at Nili's open personality, but after hesitating for a second, he took her hand eagerly and shook it kindly. "Would you like a room, or just come in for a drink?" he asked gesturing off into the common room with lots of kegs and tables.

Nili looked off to the room and smiled, she liked the cheery light the fire gave the room. "I'd like a drink," she said, turning to Fili.

Her cousin looked to the guest book and the ale. "We will need a drink and a room as well, Master Ponto," Fili said politely, pulling out his coin pouch. Carefully, Fili signed the book, trying not to mess up his penmanship. It was very lackluster, but it was a signature nonetheless.

"Let's get an ale," Kili advised his companions, throwing his arms around Nili and Fili's shoulders and leading them into the next room.

~HxH~

Hobbits cheered, danced, sang, and laughed all around them. Nili loved the cheerful people, and yet them seemed like homely people, not likely ones to travel beyond comfort.

Gandalf, the old gray wizard, had told them that he would supply the fourteenth companion, a burglar. Frankly, Nili didn't see a hobbit as being a burglar, but they were small, and light-footed. Besides, she wasn't a quick dwarf to judge.

Next to her, sat Kili, who had downed two pints already, and looked as if to go for another, before his brother stopped him.

"We have to ride tomorrow," Fili reminded him. "Don't waste yourself." Quietly, Nili chuckled to herself, she had had one pint and knew better than to have any more, knowing well the consequences of drinking too much.

Kili let out a long, exaggerated sigh, mumbling about how Fili wasn't his mother, to which Fili snorted and thumped his brother on the head, in an attempt to knock some sense into his thick head.

"Pig heads," Nili muttered, smiling broadly. She stood and stretched her back, snatching the room key off the table and declaring she was going to their room. "Sleep well," she heard the two mumble behind her.

Nili watched the hobbits sing and dance merrily, and it made her feel very good, to know that such simple acts could lighten anyone's spirit. Yawning, she realized how tired she was, and walked the short halls to her room.

That night, sleep didn't grant her a dreamless rest, but instead, several vivid nightmares, all about different things, all concerning their journey.

**Haha! Cliffy! Sort of I guess! Well I'll update Wednesday or Thursday!**

**Until next time,**

**~HxH~**


	15. Chapter 15

_Blood upon the Banks_

**I decided to write some of this chapter in Bilbo's perspective, ya know, cause Bilbo's completely awesome, not to mention ADORABLE! **

**An the new Hobbit trailer for DoS was the BEST thing ever! I'll just let you know now, that I am a HUGE Cumberbatch fan and his voice for Smaug was AWESOME! I literally felt chills of fear run down my spine because just his voice can make me run screaming in terror! I CANNOT wait for the movie!**

**Chapter 14**

It was a beautiful Tuesday morning in Hobbiton, and Bilbo Baggins' day had been going considerably well that sunny spring morning. His jasmine's golden blooms were spreading like wild fire, and birds chirped and sung as they nested in the tree above his hole.

As he sat there contentedly, smoking his pipe, he didn't notice the tall gray man walk up to his front porch, until a large puff of smoke went right up his nose and brought him back to his senses.

All the unsuspecting Bilbo saw was an old man with a staff. "Good morning!" and he meant it, taking in a deep breath as the breeze whispered through the tall green grass.

The man had a tall blue pointed hat, with a long grey cape, which matched his robes, he also had a sparkling silver scarf, which hung over his shoulder.

"What do you mean?" he asked skeptically, looking at the hobbit through his bushy eyebrows, thoughtfully stroking his waist length, smokey beard. "Do you wish me a good morning, or mean that it is a good morning whether I want it or not; or perhaps you mean to say that you feel good on this particular morning; or are you simply stating that it is a morning to be good on?"

This question puzzled the hobbit slightly, but he was to answer all the same. "All of them at once, I suppose," he said, taking a quick puff from his pipe and blowing a nice smoke ring, which sailed high on the breeze, floating all the way down to the lake below. "If you'd like, you may sit and borrow some of my tobacco, if you happen to have a pipe about you."

"Quite an appealing notion, but I have no time to sit a blow smoke rings," the man replied, gripping his staff and giving Bilbo a thoughtful look. "I am looking for someone to share in an adventure, and it has proved to be most difficult finding someone."

Does this man always speak in riddles? Bilbo thought, running his hand through his sandy curls. "I should think so," he said almost indignantly. "An absurd idea, that no hobbit would or should invest in. Adventures," Bilbo huffed, his temper flaring at the idea of a hobbit going on a dangerous journey. "Nasty disturbing uncomfortable things! Make you late for dinner," he complained, taking another puff from his pipe. And then nervously placing his thumbs in his pockets.

Bilbo quite wished that the old man would go about his business, because he didn't quite like how the man was eyeing him. "Good morning!" he said after a moment. "We don't want any adventures here, thank you!" By this he meant fir the conversation to be ended.

"Yes, you do not want them, but you need them," the old man said bluntly, so Bilbo just gave him an exasperated look and slowly walked up the stone steps to his hole.

Taking his thumbs from his trousers, he turned, opened his door, and put a foot in. "Good morning!" And at that, the old man looked quite annoyed and just scoffed. "To think I should have lived to be _good-morninged_ by Belladonna Took's son, as if I was selling buttons at the door!" The old grey man said, leaning on his staff.

"I'm sorry, do I know you?" Bilbo asked, thoroughly confused at how he might be acquainted with the stranger at his door.

The bearded man sighed at the hobbits poor memory. "For I am Gandalf, and Gandalf means me!" He proclaimed, hoping the hobbit would remember his name at least.

"Not Gandalf the wandering wizard, who made such excellent fireworks?" Bilbo said, amazedly. "Old took used to have them on mid-summer's eve!" He exclaimed, recalling the colorful rockets, that the wizard had once brought to the shire.

"Dear me!" The hobbit went on. "Not the Gandalf who was responsible for so many quiet lads and lasses going off into the Blue for mad adventures? From climbing trees to searching for elves! Life used to be quite inter-I mean, you used to upset things badly in these parts. Beg your pardon, but I had no idea you were still in business."

Gandalf gave him an approving look, but looked almost mad at his last words. "And where else should I be?" said the wizard. "All the same I'm pleased you remember something about me. Even if it is only my fireworks. Indeed for the sake of your Grandfather Took and poor Belladonna, I will give you what you have asked for." He declared, gathering his scarf.

"I beg your pardon, but I haven't asked for anything!" Bilbo declared, wondering what the wizard could be talking about. "Yes you have!" Gandalf exclaimed. "Twice now. My pardon. I give it to you. This will be very good for you, and most amusing for me," he smiled, chuckling to himself. "I shall inform the others."

Bilbo looked horrified as he snuffed out his pipe. "I beg your pardon! We don't want any adventures here, thank you! Not today! But please come to tea. Anytime you like! Why not tomorrow? Cone tomorrow! Good morning!" Bilbo stuttered, and with that, he scurried into his home and shut the round green door behind himself, slipping the key into the lock and turning it with a click.

"What on earth did I ask him to tea for?" The sandy hobbit mused, as he ran his hands through his hair once more, and walked quickly to his pantry, knowing a cake and something to drink would do him lots of good.

As he sat quietly at his table, munching on some delicious cherry cake, and sipping his tea, he wondered what he would have for tea the next day, and what he would do about the wizard, but he could think of such things tomorrow.

And while Gandalf scratched a queer shimmering rune on his beautiful door and then went on his merry way, humming to himself, Bilbo was already on his second cake, thinking he had escaped adventure quite well, and never the wiser of the old wizard's clever plan.

~HxH~

Only a few hours later that day, as Bilbo worked in his garden on hands and knees, covered with dirt and flower petals, he was startled when someone came up behind him and tapped his shoulder.

Much to his delight, it was his youngest cousin, Dahlia Rose. Who had fairly blossomed into a young lady in the years that she and Bilbo had been apart.

Dahlia smiled brightly at Bilbo as the breeze swept through her golden locks, making her laugh as she grabbed Bilbo's hand. "Bilbo, dear, I've missed you." She declared sweetly, pulling him into an enthusiastic hug.

Bilbo had sent a letter declaring that Dahlia had to visit that year, for they hadn't seen each other since they were tweens. "Oh Dahlia!" Bilbo exclaimed, quickly taking the basket she carried and opening the door to his hole, inviting her in. "The last time I saw you, we were running around with fireflies, and wandering through the woods."

Smiling widely, Dahlia walked into Bag End and felt quite comfortable in the familiar place, trailing after Bilbo and laughing sweetly as she watched her cousin arrange some things for tea.

As a Took, Dahlia had always been a very adventurous, and curious hobbit, leading her cousin into the worst of troubles. Bilbo laughed as he recalled all the good times they had had together. But that was for younger hobbits, they were grown and had responsibilities now.

"Would you like a cake, or maybe some cheese?" He asked rummaging through his pantry, trying to find something suitable to eat, while Dahlia walked through the hole, exploring the rooms she hadn't seen in years. "Anything will do nicely," she murmured, distracted by several paintings on the walls.

Bilbo grabbed potatoes, bright red cherries, smoked meats, and a handful of small tomatoes, trying to arrange a nice luncheon for his cousin. As he finally came across a few iced cakes, he gave out a triumphant, "Aha!" and continued setting the table.

Dahlia poured the tea, and they chatted for hours about endless topics, mostly just enjoying each other's company. It was refreshing for both of them to catch up with each other, but as they brought afternoon tea to a close, Dahlia declared that she had to take her leave.

"I regrettably must leave, but hopefully I will see you sometime within the week again," she smiled, setting her small hand over Bilbo's as she stood. "Why not come tomorrow evening for supper, yes! And then we can have some nice cakes for dessert!" Bilbo declared, rather enjoying his cousins company.

She turned as she reached the door and gave her cousin a sweet kiss on the cheek. "I'll see you tomorrow evening," Bilbo said, bidding her farewell and then walking once again back into his hole.

He would look forward to their chat that evening!

~HxH~

Wednesday Evening, Late April, by Shire reckoning

All the way from Frogmorton to Hobbiton, Nili thought of her father, who was trying to persuade the dwarves of Middle Earth to aid his quest. But Nili had a feeling that it wouldn't go well. Not many kingdoms were as foolish as she and her cousins were.

They past an Inn with a wooden sign hanging out front, a painted coiled dragon gracing the dark wood. Nili marveled at the detail the painting showed, but her cousins kept their ponies walking, ignoring the delightful town.

Along the stone path they walked, clomping along, as eyes turned from all directions towards the strange visitors. Fili paid a little chap at the stable to take care of their ponies for the night, and although Fili didn't notice the two familiar ponies tethered to another post, Nili did.

Leaving the stable, the three dwarves set up the hill, looking warily for the door mentioned by Gandalf, he said it would be easy to find.

**Thanks to my Followers, Favorites, and reviewers, y'all are all awesome!**

**Don't be confused about Dahlia, she will NOT be my Bilbo romantic interest, that is for another fanfic... You'll see who her romantic interest is in the next chapter! Agh! I'm just so excited for this pair, and I promise you it'll be a whopper! **

**We will be to Rivendell in about 5 or more chapters, and Rivendell in itself will be about 5 or more chapters. So brace yourselves!**

**I have a ton of ideas for the sequel to this Fic and I can't wait to share! Agh! Sorry I'm just so excited! **

**Hope y'all like it! Please review! **

**Until next time,**

**~HxH~**


	16. Chapter 16

_Blood upon the Banks 15_

**Okay! Glad to see you all again! I'm terribly sorry for the three week break, but I had a few unexpected events popped up! If you haven't noticed by now, I update on Thursdays and Mondays, which are strangely my busiest days, but then I write all the rest of the week, so really it makes sense. **

**I'm torturing myself by thinking up ideas for my prequel to this story! OMG I literally started crying at the tragedies that take place in that story!**

**Sometimes I have a twisted mind for thinking up such evil ways of killing characters, I guess it's my inner Moffat, but oh well, back to this story. *wipes away tears***  
**Enjoy!**

**Chapter 15**

As the three dwarves anxiously waited on the front stoop of Bag End, they couldn't wait to meet their host. Nili tried to look as nice and non-lethal as possible, but her cousins had no thoughts of such consideration.

The round green door was answered by a squirrelly looking chap, with sandy curls atop his head. Rather than welcoming them, and he let out a frightened squeak as the three dwarves stepped closer.

"Fili."

"Kili."

"And Nili."

"At your service," they all introduced themselves politely, and bowed low before their host.

"You must be Mr Baggins!" Kili exclaimed, and gave him a radiant smile. "No. You can't come in, you've come to the wrong house," the hobbit said, and Nili frowned at the rude behavior of the small lad. "What?" she asked, looking to the young hobbit, disappointment on her face.

Kili looked distraught as he stood there. "Has it been canceled?" The two younger dwarves looked worried. "No one told us," Fili muttered, a thoughtful expression on his face. "No! Nothing's been canceled," the hobbit declared, seemingly quite annoyed with the group on his front stoop. "Well that's a relief!" Kili smiled, hopping inside, handing the hobbit his and Fili's blue hoods, and looking curiously around the hobbit's home.

Handing off his swords and knives to Bilbo, Fili warned him to be careful, having just had them sharpened and all. "It's nice, this place." Nili mused, knocking her knuckles against the tree roots, and unhooking her dark purple hood whilst gazing about. "Did you do it yourself?" asked Kili, coming in from another hall, and starting to scrape the mud off his boots on a small wooden chest, not wanting to dirty the nice floors of his hosts home.

"No, it's been in the family for years," Bilbo answered somewhat absently. "That's my mother's glory box, can you please not do that!" the lad fumed, wagging a finger at Kili's boot scraping. Nili smiled, not bothering to tidy up her boots at all. "I see Dwalin and Balin have arrived," said Fili, tugging on the green and scarlet hoods hanging on pegs. "Let us join the throng." Nili nodded enthusiastically, and tossed her hood to Bilbo, who tried to catch it, but ended up dropping everything else he carried.

Bilbo was furious, but held himself together for the most part. "Throng?! Now I don't like the sound of that at all," he said, shoving the knives and other weapons into a trunk, while the three dwarves walked towards the dining room, chuckling and chatting.

Dwalin stood at the end of the table, arranging chairs, talking loudly with his brother. "Move it to the left," he said, trying to give Balin instruction on how to move the delicate cabinet. "I can't," the elder complained. "If you haven't noticed, there is a wall blocking my path." The brothers continued to bicker, continuing the age old story of sibling rivalry. "Fili, Kili," Dwalin addressed the two, grabbing their shoulders. "Give us a hand."

Huffing, Nili tapped the toe of her heavy boot on the floor. "What about me?" She asked indignantly. "I can help to." Dwalin just looked at her with a dismissive eye, and waved his hand. "This is a job for males, go help the hobbit with the food." At this, Nili let out a suppressed scream, and walked back to the pantry, finding the hobbit looking about for food things. "Coming to devour my food, are you?" The hobbit asked, noting that it was quite impolite to say such a thing, but it was how he felt.

"On the contrary," Nili said, smiling at the lads frantic, and helplessly annoyed personality, but he also seemed like warm and helpful person, when not bombarded by a pack of hungry dwarves. "I've come to help with the dinner preparations." At hearing that, Bilbo smiled brightly, for the first time that evening, and Nili noted that she rather liked the lad's bright cheery smile, and knew she would grow fond of him.

"Well, I could use a little help," he mused, handing her a plate of smoked sausages, and a heaping bowl of mashed potatoes. "Hopefully I can supply enough food for your friends," said Bilbo, taking out a few blocks of cheese. Just then, the doorbell rang again, and Bilbo excused himself presently. "Who could it possibly be now?!" He said, growing annoyed again.

With an expression of extreme distaste, Bilbo opened the door, just to have eight dwarves fall from his stoop, into his hole. A big fat looking chap lay on top, his round rosy cheeks and his bright red hair covered in crumbs from a previous meal.

"Get off!" Some yelled. "Your too fat!" Other's would say.

Behind the pile of smelly dwarves was a tall grey figure. "Gandalf," Bilbo said, entirely and completely frustrated. "Well," he continued, shoving his thumbs into his braces, and rocking back on his heels. "I'll put the kettle on."

~HxH~

Nili laughed as her cousins tried valiantly to open a keg of ale, but their efforts were fruitless. Apparently hobbit ale had some trick to getting it opened up, and Nili wasn't all that keen on finding out what that trick was, letting the "men" figure it out for themselves.

Dwarves walked by with food stacked in their arms, munching hungrily as they walked along. Bombur held two cheese wheels in his arms, licking his lips, unable to wait until he got to the table to start eating. As they walked from the pantry and the dining room, Gandalf counted and named all of them, winking at Nili, who just crinkled her nose and went about her business.

Soon, all the dwarves sat around the table, stuffing their faces with all sorts of delicious foods, and speaking of tales from long ago, as ale dripped down their beards. Nili listened intently to the tales of Balin, for no other could tell stories such as he, except maybe her father, but he didn't tell her such stories anymore. A full tankard of ale sat in front of the dwarf, but she rarely touched the stuff, preferring to smoke a pipe rather than drink, which others thought strange.

~HxH~

Suddenly, the bell at the front porch rang through the hole, and Bilbo looked rather indignant again, gathering himself off his stool to answer the door. Instead, Kili stood and took off for the door. He was quite surprised to find a cute petite lass standing behind it, a mess of sandy curls spilling down her back. Piercing green eyes stared back into his brown ones, displaying curiosity and confusion, a light blush on her cheeks.

"May I speak with Bilbo, Master dwarf?" She asked him politely, even though she hadn't the faintest idea who he was. Kili stood there blankly for a moment, just watching the adorable hobbit lass standing there. "Oh, yes, why of course!" He stammered, stepping back to find Bilbo walking up behind him.

Bilbo took the lass into his arms, and Kili felt a bit of a sting for some reason, he'd never felt it before, but it hurt, like someone had jabbed his rib cage. "Dahlia!" Bilbo exclaimed, smiling as he looked to his cousin. "Bilbo, I hadn't known you were having company," she said, still being immensely polite. "Neither did I. Here, let me take your coat," he added, pulling the soft material off of her back, exposing her bare arms, and full flower patterned dress.

"And who might this be?" Dahlia asked Bilbo, turning towards Kili, and smiling broadly. Before the lad could answer, Kili took her hand and planted a kiss to her knuckles. "Kili, son of Dis, of Ered Luin. At your service," he said, stooping slightly to bow before her, not letting go of her hand. Dahlia blushed furiously, looking down at her hand, and back up to Kili. "Dahlia Rose Took, at yours. It's a pleasure," she said regaining her hand, and clasping it with the other.

Bilbo looked at the two, and just rolled his eyes, knowing that they would fawn over each other the whole evening. "I'll get you some tea, Dahlia," Bilbo said, breaking the silence, and taking the large covered basket she held. "Thank you," she answered, whispering something to Bilbo, and then turning to Kili, fluttering her eyelashes at him, which he just looked at her with round eyes.

The hobbit walked the two towards the dining room, and Dahlia looked a little startled at the number of dwarves in the small dining room of Bag End. "Evening lassie," some yelled, and other's just looked on in curiosity, but still throwing food between each other. "Good evening, Master Dwarves." She smiled brightly, looking from dwarf to dwarf. Settling on what looked like a female dwarf, though she hadn't seen one before, therefore she wasn't sure.

~HxH~

In walked a short little lass, smelling like flowers, with a bright smile on her face. Nili looked to her with curiosity, as did the other dwarves, though she continued to fill her mouth with food. Bilbo set a basket in the middle of the table and uncovered it, revealing two huge carrot cakes, smeared with white icing, and covered in crushed walnuts. And as the cakes sat there in all their glory, Nili visibly saw Bombur's eyes get bigger, obviously restraining himself from jumping into the cake, to devour it's delicious looking self.

Nili looked to Fili and both shook their heads, cake truly was their demise, and it ever would be, ever since that day, years ago. Laughing at their hesitancy, Dahlia patted Kili on the shoulder and kept her wide smile. "Go ahead," she said, motioning towards the cakes, and no dwarf held back their will to eat the cake, except Nili and Fili, but surprisingly, Kili dug in too.

All the dwarves laughed and ate, enjoying the tasty carrot cake, not saying much. When they finished, all of them dispatched, and walked about the hole, exploring the various halls and rooms.

"So, who is she?" Nili asked, walking up to Bilbo. "A friend, a distant relation, or a more intimate relation?" she continued, not waiting for him to answer her former question. Bilbo looked almost appalled at her last notion. "I should think not, Miss Nili!" He said, as they sat in the kitchen, dwarves milling around as they chatted. "She is merely my cousin.  
The daughter of my mother's cousin, a Took, and quite an adventurous one, too." He added, looking kindly to Dahlia, who stood off to the corner, talking quietly with Kili.

"Sadly, her mother died when she was young, my Aunt on my mother's side took her in, which made her visits to Bag End more frequent. Now she lives with the Took family of Peradin, Petunia, and their son, Paladin. They live in Michel Delving, a large village, west of Bywater and Hobbiton." He said, looking down at the table. Nili placed her hand over his own. "I am sorry, I didn't mean to pry." She made to stand, but Bilbo caught her hand, looking up to her, with tear filled eyes. "You're the only one who's ever asked and actually cared," he stated, letting go of her hand, and setting his back on the table. Nili sat back down, and placed a hand on his shoulder. "I understand. It must be hard to lose people you care about, it's just been my luck that I haven't lost anyone, but my mother died shortly after my birth, so her death didn't affect me, my Father managed to raise me with the aid of my aunt."

Bilbo looked at her with curiosity in his eyes. "So they-," he pointed to Fili and Kili, "are your brothers?asked Bilbo. At this Nili shook her head, finding her own eyes on them, but mostly turning towards Fili. "They are my cousins, my Aunt's children, on my Father's side, though they are more than just cousins to me."

~HxH~

After a nice upbeat cheery song as the dwarves cleaned, they laughed and cheered, as they stood by the clean stacks of plates, bowls, platters, silver, and mugs. But the mood was soon interrupted by a loud knock upon the door, everyone grew extremely quiet, and Gandalf's expression grew to a more grim one. "He is here."

Bilbo looked confusedly, but he wasn't the least bit shocked about another dwarf arriving, after already having thirteen uninvited guest, what could change with having a fourteenth. As he drew the door open, there stood a taller-than-normal dwarf, wearing a dark blue hood, which his dark hair spilled over, a few grey streaks ran through his hair, but other than that, he looked only about middle aged.

"Gandalf," he said deeply, unlatching his coat. "You said this place would be easy to find." He fairly just stepped inside, past Bilbo, without any introduction, just a few words and in he popped. "I lost my way, twice. I wouldn't have found it at all, if it hadn't been for that mark on the door," he said, catching the eye of Nili and giving her a brief hug. Bilbo huffed, first he barges in, and now he insulted his door, that was flat out uncouth. "There is not a mark on that door, it was painted a week ago," he fumed, shutting the door, and turning back toward the group.

"There is a mark there; I put it there myself," Gandalf said hastily. "Bilbo Baggins, may I introduce the leader of our company, Thorin Oakenshield." The dwarf addressed stepped forwards and walked around Bilbo as he surveyed him. "So this is the hobbit," he said, almost disapprovingly, which rather got on Nili's nerves. "Tell me Master Baggins, have you done much fighting?" He asked, to which Bilbo looked almost dumbfounded. "Axe or sword? What's your weapon of choice." Thorin continued, still circling the hobbit.

Bilbo looked especially unpleased with this guest, and rather huffed out. "I do have some skill at Conkers if you must know, but I fail to see how that's relevant," added he, confusion flooding his face. The other dwarves around laughed a bit, but Nili just looked at the hobbit in admiration. She wished she could stand before someone and have the nerve to say something so simple, yet so bold. "I though as much," Thorin said, giving a light chuckle, and turning away from the hobbit to the dwarves. "Looks more like a grocer than a burglar," he muttered, showing how arrogant he really was. The dwarves all laughed heartily, as they walked back to the dining room.

~HxH~

Dahlia looked to Thorin with fear, holding out a bowl of soup to him, with shaking hands. "Soup, Master Dwarf?" She asked, looking at him with wide, cautious eyes. Thorin looked at her briefly, and gently took the soup bowl from her hands. "Thank you, lass," he said gratefully, sitting into his chair, and setting his bowl onto the large table. "What news from the meeting in Ered Luin?" Balin asked as Thorin sipped from the soup, bringing him back to his thoughts. "Did they all come?" he prodded, when he didn't answer.

"Aye," Thorin answered. "Envoys from all seven kingdoms." All the dwarves murmured their joy at this decent prospect. Nili knew that if all Seven Kingdoms attended, that gave them a better chance of having Dain join them, but she saw the look in her father's face, and knew that he bore ill news. "What do the Dwarves of the Iron Hills say?" Dwalin asked, breaking everyone's cheerfulness, and bringing a solemn cloud over the group. "Is Dain with us?" the bald dwarf questioned, when Thorin didn't answer.

Thorin looked down at his soup, and raising his face he muttered, "They will not come." All the dwarves hung their heads in disappointment, if they needed one thing, it was an army. "They say that this quest is ours, and ours alone. They're all too cowardly to face such a beast," he spat, disgust filling his voice. He was truly ashamed of them, but he could also see why they wouldn't come, they didn't want to risk the lives of their soldiers to such a futile mission. Nili could imagine why her father would want to reclaim the mountain, for she had heard tales of it's vast beauty, but no quest was worth the lives of these honorable dwarves. It was suicide, and Nili knew it.

"You're going on a quest?" Bilbo chimed in, curiosity getting the better of him. "Whatever could frighten armies of dwarves, enough to make them refuse aid to their kin, I'll never know." Nili smiled to the hobbit, but realized that he didn't know at all what was going on. She was just fixing to ask to speak to Gandalf, when he began to speak. "Bilbo, my dear fellow," dear fellow indeed, Nili thought, pursing her lips in frustration, "let us have a little more light." The hobbit looked up at the mention of his name, and fairly scrambled to get another candle.

Nili watched Gandalf lay a weathered map across the table, and she quickly noticed Erebor on the small piece of worn paper. "Far to the east, over ranges and rivers, beyond woodlands, and wastelands, lies a single solitary peak. A rare jewel of a mountain, among dwarves, a city only few remember," he said, glancing at Thorin, who sat at his right hand. "The lonely mountain..." Bilbo mused absently, gazing at the map, interest clear in his eyes. "Aye!" Gloin nearly shouted. "Oin has read the portents. And the portents say it is time." He said, looking around the table, at the dwarves around him.

Bilbo was checking his pantry for any mere sign of food, while Dahlia sat next to Thorin, staring wide-eyed as she listened to the dwarves talk of the mountain. Nili liked the young girl's enthusiasm, although she seemed a bit absent at times, but maybe it was just because she was surrounded by strangers. "Ravens have been seen flying back to the mountain as it was foretold," Oin declared, giving Thorin a thoughtful look, and reciting the prophecy. "When the birds of yore return to Erebor, the reign of the beast will end." And since Bilbo was a rather cautious fellow, all that he heard was, "Beast?" He asked, his hands trembling a bit. "What beast?" Nili looked from Oin to the hobbit and gave an internal laugh. "That would be a reference to Smaug, the terrible," she said, taking a sip of ale, and raking her fingers through her wispy beard. "Chiefest and greatest calamity of our age," Bofur added. "Airborne fire-breather, teeth like razors, claws like meathooks, extremely fond of previous metals-."

Then he was abruptly cut off by Bilbo, who's eyes were emanating fear, just from the dwarf's words. "Yes, I very well know what a dragon is." Nili then chuckled as Ori stood up and declared his braveness and courage against the dragon. Dori then pulled his brother back into his seat, a bit of embarrassment on his face. Frowning, Nili looked down at the frothy liquid in her mug, and pushed it away. "The task would be difficult enough with the armies from the hills, but Dain has denied us his forces. We number only fourteen." To this Balin quickly nodded, stroking his long snowy beard thoughtfully. "And not fourteen of the best, nor brightest," he muttered, looking around as the miss-matched group of dwarves. "Who're you calling dim?!" Kili declared, but Nili just gave his shoulder a good punch to quiet him. Fili gazed around the room of dwarves, and then slammed his fist against the table, causing the utensils on the table to rattle, and the little lass in the corner to jump.

"We may be few in number, and have a few chinks in our armor, but we're fighters, no matter how young or old, all of us, to the last dwarf!" He declared passionately, a bright fire lit in his eyes, a fire that emanated courage, strength, and an unstoppable will. Kili picked up on his brother's enthusiasm, but lost himself in his own foolish words. "And you forget, we have one of the great wizards in our company! Gandalf would have vanquished hundreds of dragons and worse foes in his time!" Nili shook her head at her cousins foolishness, but she never flooded his fantastical imaginations of wizards with doubts. Every dwarf then turned their head to the wizard in question, expecting some kind of answer about all the foes he'd faced.

"Oh I wouldn't say- I- Uh-," Gandalf stuttered over words as he tried to conjure up a clever reply. "Well how many, then?" Dori asked, looking expectantly at the wizard. "What?" Gandalf said, still at a loss for words. "How many dragons have you killed?" Dori urged, followed by a curious murmur, while Gandalf just choked on pipe smoke. "Go on! Give us a number, you old wizard!" A dwarf yelled, causing an uproar among the whole dining room.

Thorin then yelled loudly to silence the dwarves, and they abruptly sat back in their seats, a bit of regret shining in their eyes. "If we have read these signs, do you not think others would have read them, too. The dragon, Smaug, has not been seen in over sixty years. Now we sit idly by, while others claim the unguarded treasures of the mountain, that our rightfully ours, or do we seize this chance to take back Erebor?!" He shouted, to which all the dwarves cheered and expressed their joy.

Balin then showered their parade of happiness with the heavy weight of truth. "Do you forget? The front gate is sealed, there is no other way into the mountain." At this Thorin looked a bit taken aback, but he was stubborn and would hold out. Nili had a flash of disappointment in her eyes, as she sat there, staring at the craved wooden table, but she looked up quickly. "But there has to be another way into the mountain! A back pass, a hidden stairwell, something..." She aimed to lift the spirit of the room, but it was a weak effort. "Oh, but there is, my dear sweet Nili." Gandalf said, pulling a key out of his pocket, and tapping the cold steel on his nose. Nili looked amazed at the wizard, as did her father. "How came you by this?" Thorin asked, reaching out to touch the key.

"It was given to me by your father, long ago. It is yours now. Use it wisely," he said, handing the key over to the dwarf king. Gandalf then turned everyone's attention back to the map in front of him, and began speaking, "These ruins speak of a hidden passage, to the lower halls." He said, pointing to a series of runes on the old map, sitting just below the mountain. "There's another way in," Kili smiled."Well, if we can find it, but dwarf doors are invisible when closed. The answer lies somewhere hidden in this map, and I do not have the skill to find it. But there are others in Middle-earth who can. The task I have in mind will require a great deal of stealth, and no small amount of courage," Gandalf said throwing his gaze at Bilbo, who was too enthralled in the map to really be listening.

Dahlia clapped her hands together, and smiled widely. "A hidden passage, how exciting!" She said, looking from the map to the dwarves, and catching Kili's eye, who quickly averted his gaze, and looked back down at his mug of ale. "And if we do find it, we will need all the luck of the dwarves with that dragon," Nili said, tapping the mountain on the map with her index finger. "That's why we need a burglar!" Ori exclaimed, looking from Bilbo to Gandalf, expectantly. "Hm," Bilbo murmured, "A good one too. An expert I'd imagine." All the dwarves turned back to him. "And are you?" asked Gloin, who seemed to have a boatload of doubts about the hobbit already. Bilbo looked up quickly. "Am I what?" he asked, looking from dwarf to dwarf in confusion. "He said he's an expert!" Oin shouted in joy, while the others just laughed and clapped the old deaf dwarf on the back.

"M-Me?" Bilbo stuttered, startled to think that the dwarves thought him an expert burglar. "No, no, no, no, no. I'm not a burglar; I've never stolen a thing in my life." the hobbit exclaimed, obviously offended that the dwarves were calling him a thief. Nili saw Dahlia give Bilbo a hard blow to the ribs, for what reason, Nili was unsure. Meanwhile, Balin tapped his fingers on the table. "I'm afraid I have to agree with Mr. Baggins. He's hardly burglar material." He said, to which Bilbo nodded his agreements, rubbing the sore spot where his cousin had jabbed him.

Dwalin quickly nodded his bald head. "Aye, the wild is no place for gentle folk who can neither fight nor fend for themselves," he said, to which Bilbo also nodded, and several dwarfs started arguing over this and that, and who was to be their new burglar. Dahlia, quickly clapped her hand onto the table, drawing attention to her now. "If the hair on my toes isn't curly, then you Bilbo Baggins aren't a liar," she said, pointing a finger at her cousin, and rapidly shoving her curly haired foot onto the table.

The dwarves murmured and looked to each other in confusion. "Your memory grows dim, dear cousin, when you say you haven't stolen anything. If you recall, you've stolen my pony, and my fishing pole, right under my nose. And years ago, you came to my home, and attempted to steal all my jewelry, without my know how!" she said accusingly, pointing a finger at Bilbo. "My point being, Bilbo is quite a thief indeed, even though he tries to deny it," she said with finality, but soon all the dwarves were back to arguing.

Nili hated that the dwarves just ignored the little lass, she felt like the only one at that table who actually respected the girl, but she was wrong about that. Gandalf sighed and began to speak. "Hobbits are remarkably light on their feet. In fact, they can pass unseen by most if they choose. And while the dragon is accustomed to the smell of dwarf, the scent of hobbit is all but unknown to him, which gives us a distinct advantage. You asked me to find the fourteenth member of this company, and I have chosen Mr. Baggins. There's a lot more to him than appearances suggest, and he's got a great deal more to offer than any of you know, including himself." He muttered the last words, glaring at Bilbo, with doubt in his eyes. "You must trust me on this." He whispered to Thorin, meaning for only him to hear, but Nili heard him. Her father took a pause for a moment, but quickly replied, "Very well. We will do it your way."

"No, no, no." Bilbo complained, trying to push past, to speak his mind on the matter, but Thorin ignored him, holding up his hand and looking to Balin. "Give him the contract." He said, watching Balin nod and hand the lengthy contract to Bilbo "We're off!" Nili heard Bofur say excitedly, and she turned and watched Bilbo take the contract into the hall.

"It's just the usual summary of out-of-pocket expenses, time required, remuneration, funeral arrangements, so forth." Balin said, a thoughtful frown on his face. "Funeral arrangements?" Bilbo huffed, and Nili fairly chuckled at the terrified look on the lads face. Nili watched her father lean in to speak privately with Gandalf, but she overheard what they said, "I cannot guarantee his safety."

"Understood."

"Nor will I be responsible for his fate."

"Agreed."

This made Nili fairly furious with the both of them, speaking about Bilbo as if he was nothing more than a straying pony. She would definately have words with Gandalf before they left for their journey. Bilbo began to read the contract, stirring Nili out of her thoughts.

"Terms: Cash on delivery, up to but not exceeding one fourteenth of total profit, if any. Seems fair. Eh, Present company shall not be liable for injuries inflicted by or sustained as a consequence thereof including but not limited to lacerations ... evisceration … incineration?" He said, quickly looking up, fear and frustration clear in his round greyish blue orbs.

Bofur began speaking, and Nili tried to kick him under the table, but she couldn't quite reach him. "Oh, aye, he'll melt the flesh off your bones in the blink of an eye." Nili slapped her palm against her face in annoyance. Bilbo looked quite breathless, leaning over and trying to breath evenly. "You all right, laddie?" Balin asked, seemingly the only one, besides Nili, who actually cared about the hobbit. Bilbo nodded a bit, looking quite pale. "Uh, yeah...Feel a bit faint." He was trying to keep his breath steady and even, but Bofur wasn't helping with that in the least. "Think furnace with wings." the dwarf said, to which Bilbo grimaced, and bent over even more. "Air, I-I-I need air." Bilbo muttered.

"Flash of light, searing pain, then Poof! you're nothing more than a pile of ash." Bofur continued, seemingly, trying to get Bilbo to run away screaming. Bilbo quickly tried to compose himself, and stood up, while the others stared at him. "Hmmm. Nope." He said, falling faint to the floor, hitting the cold ground. "Very helpful, Bofur." Nili muttered, as she joined Dahlia at Bilbo's side, on the floor.

**Hope you liked it... REALLY long chapter! **

**Until next time,**

**~HxH~**


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